ON the first day of the St Giles' Fair in 1962 Gill Cooper sneaked off to meet a boy for their first date.

This year she will revisit the fair with that boy- now her husband Barry- to mark 50 years of happy marriage.

The couple, who lived in Kidlington for almost half a century, have been given a golden ticket by Oxford City Council which will allow them unlimited use of all the rides at the fair.

It is a far cry from their visit in 1962 when they had to avoid Mrs Cooper's parents to allow their budding romance to blossom.

She said: "I had met Barry 18 months before at my cousin's wedding but my daddy would not let me go with boys.

"I actually fancied one of the other boys but I ended up with Barry.

"We contacted each other through love letters through a friend's house after that.

"We used to phone each other at the local phone box and he said about heading down on the Monday to the St Giles' Fair.

"My daddy thought I was off with some girls from work."

Mrs Cooper- nee Saunders- was just 15 when she met up with Mr Cooper that night and they shared their first kiss where Beamont Street meets St Giles.

She said: "That was something I will never forget.

"When we were walking through St Giles, Barry noticed my family walking towards us so we went to the back of the stalls pretty quickly."

Mr and Mrs Cooper married in St Mary's Church in Kidlington on May 14, 1966 and went on to have three children- Barbara, Christopher and Daniel- and six grandchildren.

Mrs Cooper, 69, worked in a number of areas including running a corner shop in Botley Road, while Mr Cooper, now 74, worked for Plumb Centre.

They spent most of their married life in Kidlington, where Mrs Cooper grew up, before moving to Evesham in Worcestershire.

Mrs Cooper said: "The secret to a happy marriage is being a complete partnership.

"We talk about everything, we agree about everything, we respect one another's wishes.

"If we have a problem we discuss it.

"We have had our ups and downs but we have worked through them and he has been my rock.

"He is the one who keeps me steady."

The couple's association with the St Giles's Fair has continued down the years as they took their own children and grandchildren along.

She said: "We have always liked to go down on the Sunday when it is being set up.

"I used to do that with my mum and dad and it is a bit of a tradition.

"When Barry and I go along all of those wonderful memories come flooding back."

The fair closed last night after another successful two days which saw thousands of punters flock to its stalls and rides.

Damp weather on Monday did not put off the crowds and it was a warmer and brighter day yesterday to finish proceedings.