A COUPLE celebrating their diamond wedding today say their happy marriage is based on a good philosophy.

William Thomas, who is also celebrating his 81st birthday today, and his wife, Agnes, 83, met while they were both serving in the Army in the years following the Second World War.

The couple, of Witton Avenue, Droitwich, were at a forces dance in Andover, Hampshire.

Mrs Thomas said: “We danced quite a few dances and then he saw me to the bus. I went one way, he went the other, but we made arrangements to meet again.”

The couple continued to meet in Andover because it was halfway between their bases.

Mr Thomas said: “We had nothing to do but walk around, money was short and we used to go to a delightful little place and get a hamburger. They cost sixpence but sometimes we even had to share one.”

The couple kept meeting in Andover until Mrs Thomas left the Army after four years of service. Mr Thomas left a year later at the end of his National Service.

Initially, Mrs Thomas went to live in Leicester before returning to her family home in Scotland. She said: “I got a job and found that although I was paying my way it wasn’t for me so I went back to Scotland.”

The couple had stayed in touch and unable to settle back into her old life in Scotland, Mrs Thomas eventually moved to Droitwich, where Mr Thomas was living near to his family. The couple were married in St Augustine’s Church, Droitwich, when Mr Thomas was 21 and Mrs Thomas 23.

Mr Thomas worked as a carpenter after leaving the Army and his wife worked as a packer on an airforce base.

They have three children, Keith, Christine and Andrew, seven grandchildren and nine-great children.

Mr Thomas said the secret to their happy marriage is based on advice given to them by his father. He said: “It’s working together and living together and as my father told me, ‘It’s just like rowing the boat, if you don’t pull together then you go around in circles’.”

Mrs Thomas said: “We have had a wonderful life and he’s a very good husband. He always has been. We’ve never had any great fights. We have a very happy life together.”