AN elderly care home couple as besotted with one another as they were when they first locked eyes more than six decades ago have celebrate a marriage milestone.

Margaret Sargeant, 81, and husband Gerry, 90, toasted their 63rd wedding anniversary recently at Silversprings, in Tenpenny Hill, Thorrington, where they both live.

For the celebration, the loved-up residents were surprised with a romantic meal, complete with prosecco and a special cake.

They were then joined by their friends at the home and staff member, all of whom raised a toast to the happy couple while playing their first dance song, The Last Waltz.

Gazette:

Joanne Rix, manager at Silversprings, said: “This was a big day for Margaret and Gerry and one we were honoured to be a part of.

“They are a wonderful couple, with lots of wisdom about building a strong and successful marriage that I think we could all learn from.

“The atmosphere in the home was wonderful and prompted residents to reminisce and share fond memories of their own weddings.

“It truly was a day to remember – happy anniversary Margaret and Gerry.”

Margaret first met Gerry, a Radar Early Warning System Technician, when she was just 18-years-old at a dance, at Trentham Gardens, in Staffordshire.

As fate would have it, this was the first time Margaret had been to the dance and Gerry also happened to be on leave from working in the Arctic and Canada.

Margaret said: “When I first saw Gerry I thought ‘Oh, he’s handsome’ and I liked the look of him straight away, he was like Top Gun.

“I was so glad I went to the dance; it was meant to be.”

The pair wrote to each other for a year via air mail after first meeting, and on Gerry’s next period of leave he proposed.

When he returned the following time, and when Margaret had turned 18, they were married in Northwood Church in Stoke on Trent.

Gerry said: “Neither myself nor my best man had ever been to Northwood Church before – we got lost on the way to the wedding and had to ring for directions.

“I’m glad I got there eventually though, because here we are 63 years later, happy as ever.

“I’d say the key to a happy, successful marriage is to be kind and have patience with one another – even if that is waiting for them to find your own wedding.”