Platinum wedding: Joan and Victor Freeman

Joan, 88, and Victor, 94, met each other after going on a blind date to support their friends who were also on a date.

The pair hit it off and married in 1946 at St Mary’s Church, Portsmouth, and went on to have four children: Michael, 69, Sheila, 67, Janet, 65, and Keith, 58.

They have eight grandchildren and are also great-grandparents.

Daughters Sheila and Janet recalled some of the happy times their parents have had together.

‘We’re a really close family and we always had days out locally,’ says Sheila.

‘Even now we go out with them quite often. They used to have a little mobile home that they spent many happy hours in. They enjoyed taking trips to different places.’

Janet says: ‘Together we went to places such as the New Forest and Southsea seafront.

‘Family is very important to them.’

As well as bringing up their children, Joan worked in retail and Victor was in the Royal Marines and later worked for Southern Electric.

They still live at the same house at Widley that they moved into more than 65 years ago, meaning they are well-known in their local community.

The couple had family celebrations for their anniversary – a meal at the Great Oak, Petersfield, and afternoon tea at the Queen’s Hotel, Southsea.

Sheila says: ‘Mum and dad are very compatible and very happy. They’ve always had similar interests and they just work well together. Seventy years of marriage is such an achievement.’

Janet adds: ‘They’ve had their ups and downs but they’ve worked through them and been good parents. Considering their ages they are both very independent.

‘We admire that and we all really look up to them.’