AN Amesbury couple who met in Marks & Spencer celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Thursday.

Sheila Mardell, 81, met her husband David, 83, in 1947 when she was working as a sales assistant at the Twickenham store, and they married a year later.

They celebrated their anniversary by renewing their vows at Amesbury Baptist Church on Sunday.

“It was a very enjoyable day,” Mrs Mardell said. “I gave a speech about when we first met and how I wanted to marry him as soon as I saw him.”

During the couple’s first six weeks of marriage, Mr Mardell, who was a sergeant major in the army, was posted to Malaya, and they didn’t see each other for the next two years.

When he returned, he was at Woolwich Barracks for a year and then in 1951, the couple moved to The Royal School of Artillery, Larkhill, where Mr Mardell was stationed.

The couple have five children, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Mr Mardell left the army in 1970 after serving 25 years and became a mechanic.

Twenty-two years later the couple moved to Beverley Hills Mobile Home Park, Amesbury, where they live today.

Mrs Mardell, who with her husband fostered children as well as raising a family, added: “We’re still very much in love, it’s like we’re on our second honeymoon.”