NORTH Bradley Couple Ken and Bertha Woodridge have celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary last week and marked the occasion with a family get-together.

The pair met each other on August 2, 1942 while attending a dance event with friends at Street congregational hall in Somerset.

Mr Woodridge said: “I approached her as she was sat on the side of the dance hall and that was how we got together.”

After a whirlwind romance, the couple got married three years later on March 31, 1945 at the congregational chapel in Street when Ken was 19 and Bertha was 21.

Mrs Woodridge, nee Van Rynen said: “It was love at first sight.”

As their love blossomed during the Second World War, Mr Woodridge was sent to Burma where he served his national service and two and a half years later, the couple were reunited.

Only a year later was their daughter Janet born and they also went on to have their son, David five years later.

Throughout their marriage, the couple shared passion of music with Mr Woodridge playing organ and Mrs Woodridge having previously sang in choir.

The pair moved to North Bradley in 1999 to be closer to their children and for Mrs Woodridge, the highlight of the marriage was being able to see her children grow up as well as her three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Mr Woodridge, 89 and Mrs Woodridge, 91 celebrated their landmark occasion by holding a party last weekend at the Poplars Inn in Winsley where their closest friends, family and relatives attended.

And as for their secret to making it to 70 years of marriage, the couple agreed that there is no secret but love.