A COUPLE who first met when they were children have renewed their wedding vows after 60 years of marriage.

Ray and Gwen Budd returned to the church they were married in on Thursday, 14 August to exchange rings once more in front of friends and family – 60 years after they were first married in Privett Church, near Petersfield.

And this was followed by a party at their son Tim’s house in Madrid Close, Andover, on Saturday to celebrate the milestone.

Family members also presented Mr and Mrs Budd with a holiday to Hayling Island as an anniversary gift.

Mrs Budd said: “Thank you to Tim, Angela, Laura and Amy for the lovely party – we love them lots.”

The couple first met when 14- year-old Mr Budd delivered bread to the village where Mrs Budd, aged just 10, lived.

However, when Mrs Budd moved to Privett at the age of 16 she met the farm worker again and they married three years later.

They moved to Newton Stacey in 1958, where daughter Lesley was born.

Sadly, she died at the age of 50 from cancer.

The family later lived in Vernham Dean for 25 years, where son Tim was born, before moving to their current home in Oxenwood.

Great-grandfather Mr Budd, aged 83, works as a gardener one day a week while Mrs Budd, aged 79, gave up work as a cleaner just a year ago due to ill health.

When asked what the secret to a long and happy marriage is, Mrs Budd said: “I don’t think there is a secret really, we still love each other.

“We enjoy the good times and we live through the sad times and we look after each other.”