A COUPLE who first met thousands of miles away are today celebrating their golden wedding in York.

Marilyn, 69, and Brian Lingwood, 72, of Cherry Wood Crescent, Fulford, both lived in the former British colony of Aden on the Arabian Peninsula in 1962.

Mr Lingwood was working in the Royal Army Pay Corps and his wife was a typist when they met at the local beach club. They returned to Britain and married on March 27, 1965 at the Church of Our Lady of Assumption in Coventry.

The couple are celebrating their 50 years of marriage with a family gathering.

When asked about the marital milestone, Mrs Lingwood said: "Time flies when you’re having fun."

The couple have lived in Germany, Hong Kong and Canada as Mr Lingwood was stationed abroad with the Army for 22 years.

They had three daughters, Amanda, Wendy and Rebecca, who were each born in a different country.

Mr Lingwood was eventually transferred to Imphal Barracks in Fulford and Mrs Lingwood had a job in Marks and Spencer’s for 22 years.

The couple say they are grateful for a ‘marriage blessed by good fortune’ which has grown stronger with time, and said the key to a long-lasting relationship is a sense of humour and not forgetting to say ‘I love you’ once in a while.