Gordon and Pat Sears, from Gosport, celebrate their golden wedding anniversary on Saturday, June 28.

It is a special date for the couple – they met on and were married on same day of the same month four years apart.

Gordon, now 73, remembers: 'We met at Elson Church youth club in 1954 when I was 19 and she was 16. It was the first night of the club – Pat had just moved down from Birmingham with her family and caught my eye. The following Saturday at the church fete it all took off.

'Four years later, we married at St Thomas'S Church in Elson, about 50 yards from her front door – but she still needed a car to take her there.

'It was quite a big wedding with around 75 guests.'

After finishing national service, Gordon worked as an aircraft fitter at the Royal Naval Aircraft Yard, Fleetlands, for 45 years.

He was joined there by his wife for 19 of those years. She had previously worked part time at a newsagents while also caring for the family.

After taking retirement, Pat decided to return to work and is now employed part-time at the Care and Mobility Centre in Gosport.

The couple have two children, a son Martin and daughter Tracey. They now delight in spending time with their five grandsons.

The family also remain in close contact with German exchange students they housed 35 years ago, and some were even flying over for the 50th anniversary celebrations.

The celebrations were marked with a party for friends and family at Gosport Football Club, at The Inn Off The Post.

Pat, now 70, said: 'It only seems like yesterday we got married, I can't believe it's that amount of time. He is always pulling my leg and after all this time I still don't know when he's doing it.

'We have a very close relationship – he's my best friend.'