A WARTIME picnic marked the start of a beautiful relationship for one city couple, who will celebrate 60 years of marriage today.

Noel and Christina Whittaker met when they worked with the Royal Signals, intercepting coded messages from the Germans at a base near Harrogate.

There were more than 1,000 women to every 20 men, but Noel immediately fell for Christina, unable to resist the charm of her Scottish accent.

Their colleagues decided to arrange a picnic, which proved unpopular.

As the numbers dwindled, Noel noticed that Christina's name remained on the list and grasped this opportunity to make a date, but shortly afterwards was sent to work in Italy.

Immediately after their wedding at Droitwich Register Office, there came a second blow when Noel was sent to work in Palestine for almost a year.

Christina, aged 83, said: "He was so thoughtful and considerate, always doing things for other people.

"We would never have met had we not been in the war. Really, it brought us together, but we missed each other very much."

After the war Noel worked as a linotype operator at the Worcester News, formerly the News and Times, before setting up his own typesetting business. The 82-year-old said: "She seems to be able to cope with every situation that crops up."

After the war the couple, of Droitwich Road, came to Worcester and have lived in Claines ever since.

Christina trained as a teacher and worked at Chawson Primary School and Witton Middle School in Droitwich.

They enjoy walking and Noel has conquered all 15 3,000ft peaks in Wales while Christina has scaled 14.

One of their most impressive achievements is climbing Crib Goch, in Wales, when they were both in their early 70s. The couple have three children, 56-year-old Tina, Tim, aged 58, and 54-year-old Gordon.

They plan to celebrate their diamond wedding with some of their nine grandchildren, aged between 23 and 33 and their two great-grandchildren, aged eight months and two.

They might have put their mountain climbing days behind them, but still enjoy walking their golden retriever Bonnie. Noel also works for the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, while Christina enjoys singing and embroidery.