A COUPLE in Yarnton are having a double celebration today – their diamond wedding anniversary and the bride’s birthday.

Christopher and Josephine Green, nee Pettefer, who are aged 82 and 79, married in St Peter’s Church, Wolvercote, on Josephine’s 19th birthday in 1954.

Since then the couple have had three children – Stephanie, 59, who now lives in Hastings, Rachel, 54, now of Rugby and Matthew, 50, now of Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset – followed by seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Mrs Green said: “You just can’t believe that you have got that far. It is strange really, but here we are after 60 years.”

The couple met in the Plough pub, Wolvercote, where Mrs Green used to help out with her mother and where they eventually had their wedding reception.

“There used to be this group of lads who came from Cassington to Wolvercote, to have a drink at the Plough pub or to come to funfairs or other events,” said Mrs Green, “and we got chatting at a social event.”

But then Mr Green mysteriously vanished for two years, only to reveal he had been abroad in the Far East.

“Apparently he was in Hong Kong doing his national service,” she added. “When he came back I asked where he had been and he told me. After that, we started dating.”

For their wedding day the couple were given a two-tiered cake from Mr Gurden of famous cake-makers Oliver and Gurden. Mrs Green worked at the firms’ Summertown factory until their first child.

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The Greens on their wedding day

Mr Green, who worked for Osberton Radiators at the Morris Motors works for 43 years, added: “I remember the wedding day was lovely and sunny and everything went well. It might have been cold, but we didn’t notice.”

The couple plan to celebrate in relaxed fashion today at the Yarnton Senior Club, of which Mrs Green is chairwoman.

Mrs Green also enjoys hand-bell ringing in Yarnton and knitting. The couple are also members of the Wolvercote history club.

They have already had a small party with relatives.

When asked what the secret to the enduring holy matrimony was, Mrs Green said: “We always do everything together and if we disagree we disagree, but we do not have long-standing fall outs.

“There have been happy times and sad times, but we have always come out on top.”