AN ARGUMENT was brewing when William and Ellen Hamley met.

But it was the first and last time because the couple are celebrating 60 years of marriage.

Mrs Hamley, 83, was with friends in Faringdon Road Park 61 years ago when a young man started copying everything she did to attract her attention.

She went over to tell him to stop, the couple became friends and married a year later.

Mrs Hamley's mum said the marriage would never work because an industrial accident at the age of 16 left Mr Hamley with one arm.

She said: "My mother, bless her, said I shouldn't marry a bloke with one arm because it would never work.

"But 60 years on we are still here together, and it's been 60 happy years.

"I like everything about William. He is adorable."

The Walcot couple have lived in Swindon all of their lives and had seven children and six grandchildren.

Mr Hamley says that the secret behind a lasting marriage is to be able to give and take and share everything.

He said: "We don't bother having arguments. We've never argued about money.

"I'm disabled because of my arm and we help each other out that is what we have always done.

"I don't know what I was up to in Faringdon Park.

"I was just messing around and I had no idea I would spend the rest of my life with her when we met."