TWO Worcester pensioners who ran a popular city pub for almost two decades are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary today.

Ray and Shirley Freeman ran The Wheatsheaf in Henwick Road, St John's, for 17 years before they retired to settle in Penhill Crescent, Dines Green.

They will toast their memories by having a large party today with 70 guests, many of whom still tell the couple they were the best publicans in town.

Shirley, aged 71, met Ray, 82, when her parents ran the Bell Inn at Broadheath and he was one of the regular customers.

"My parents kept the Bell Inn for 40 years and Ray used to come in quite a lot," she said.

"We started courting and went dancing and to the theatre. Our love grew from there."

They married after a couple of years and took over The Wheatsheaf in 1969.

Their three grown-up children - sons Paul, 47, Mark 44, and daughter Julie, who is 38 - were brought up in the pub while they ran it.

"It was quite a risk at the time, because we had young children," said Mrs Freeman.

"The pub was dead when we took it on but it literally went mad after that - it got so busy.

"We had big social nights there and had a real mix of ages in there. People still come up to me now to say they miss us not being there."

Mr Freeman said running the pub was like the marriage - it had ups and downs but survived the test of time.

"When I asked her to marry me it was in a smoke-filled room at her parents' pub," he said. "To think we ended up running one ourselves.

"I've got many happy memories of our marriage and the pub. It has had its ups and downs but lasted.

"I don't believe there is a real secret to happy marriage to be honest - it's just something that grows," Mr Freeman added.