JOYCE Downs says the secret to 50 years of wedded bliss is a sense of humour.
The 73-year-old and her husband Derrick, 74, are due to celebrate their golden wedding next week.
The couple met at a dance in Cirencester after Derrick had been demobbed after serving with the Parachute Regiment, helping to keep the peace in Palestine.
The pair met up the following day in Swindon and courted for two years before marrying at St Mary's Church in 1953. They now live at Greenmeadow and have three children and two grandchildren
Derrick, who was a sales manager for Morse's General Stores before retiring, said: "I had to meet her the following day and she dragged me all the way to Swindon.
"We just fell in love. We've had a good relationship, then the children came along which was nice.
"We lasted this long because in those days you were married and that was it there was none of these trial marriages you get these days."
Joyce said: "We just met and things started happening.
"You need a sense of humour, patience and some give and take."
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