Platinum wedding is as exciting as big Jubilee celebration

Margaret and Percy Blackwell, of Knightley Close, throw a party tomorrow for their platinum wedding anniversary.

The couple, who are both in their 90s, hit it off from the first time they met while they were out walking with friends on the old Warwick Road.

They were 15 at the time and have been together ever since.

Mrs Blackwell said: “We’ve been very fortunate, we’ve had our illnesses but we’re stilll knocking about.

“Everyone is getting very excited about the occasion but we’ve learned to take it easy now.”

The couple were married at St Mary’s Church in Leamington on June 2 1942 while Mr Blackwell was serving as a signalman in the 11th Armoured Division.

He returned to his barracks in Bodmin, Cornwall, just four days later and did not see his new bride for three months.

The couple’s first daughter, Sandra, was born in 1943 and in 1944 Mr Blackwell was among the soldiers who landed on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day.

Mrs Blackwell said: “War time was a real struggle, I had a bay to look after on my own but we never needed more than we were given.”

After the war, Mr Blackwell became the co-owner of Nicholson builders and he built the couple’s first home in Myton Cresecent, which is still there today.

They moved to Cubbington 11 years ago when Mr Blackwell’s health started to deteriorate.

The couple have travelled the world, marking their golden wedding with a tour which included the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand.

They have another daughter, Jan, four grandsons and eight great grandchildren.

Mrs Blackwell said: “We’d be lost without each other - we rely on one another.”