‘We’re always laughing’ couple married for 72 years say humour is their secret

Jack and Sylv Walker, who both turn 92 this year, began their love story at a dance.

Mr Walker saw his future wife across the dancefloor and asked her for a dance. During the song Mrs Walker asked if they could move towards the toilet before dashing away and leaving her future husband on his own.

Future dates got better and better, and the couple went on to have two children, five grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

Mr Walker said: "We're always laughing; we laugh at the silliest things. We always see the funny side to everything.

"You give and take in a marriage, I give and she takes.

"When she goes out the back, I think she's talking to me, but she's talking to the cows in the field behind the house.

"Every married couple argues - if they say they don't they are lying - but the secret is, no matter how much you argue, always make up before you go to bed. Don't hold a grudge."

The pair married on August 16 1947 and lived in Leicestershire before moving to Devon.

Mrs Walker used to suffer with her breath requiring a nebuliser but after a trip to Devon decided to make Exmouth their home.

The couple still enjoy going out for a meal every Sunday.

Mr Walker said: "We used to visit North Devon, but I brought Sylv down to Exmouth. We realised on the way back that she had not used her nebuliser, because of the noticeable difference in the air. After that we said 'we're going to live down here', and that was in 1997.

"The children didn't like it at the time, but my son says now that if we hadn't brought his mother down here, she wouldn't still be here."

Due to her health, Mrs Walker had to have her wedding ring removed from her finger but continues to wear it on a necklace her husband bought for her.

The necklace has two pendants with their anniversary dates on.

The couple travelled in style to their platinum wedding anniversary party, arriving in a Rolls Royce.

This year they will enjoy a meal at the Saddlers Arms.