“HARD work, sharing and a lot of happy times.”

For one Andover couple these are the things that have kept them in a thriving marriage for over seven decades.

Edward and Vivienne Read are about to celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary this weekend after walking down the aisle 70 years ago in 1945.

The couple will mark the milestone with a party at the Hawk Conservancy on Sunday, where they will be joined by friends and family.

Mrs Read said: “We have had a lot of happy times, a good life and good health.

“It was difficult because we didn’t have much money back then, but we always worked hard and shared everything together to make it work.”

Asked about his favourite memory, Mr Read said: “I remember once we were driving in an old Morris car and the fuel pump went, so Vivienne had to sit on the side of the car and hit it every so often to keep it going.

“She kept getting cold so she had to come back inside and then she would go back out again and give it a kick to get the fuel moving again.

“You just wouldn’t get something like that nowadays.”

The couple, who met in 1943, were first introduced in Vernham Dean when Mr Read approached Vivienne, who was on her way home from the mission hall.

After 18 months of dating the couple married, aged 19 and 17 respectively, at Vernham Dean Church at a double wedding with Mr Read’s cousin.

After the wedding the couple moved in together and Mr Read, who spent his working life as a farmer, got a job as a tractor driver.

In 1948 they had their first and only child, Heather, before moving on to their own small holding in Abbotts Ann were they stayed for the next 20 years.

The couple sold their own produce during that time, but after two happy decades Mr Read decided to take up a job as a gamekeeper working for Sir John Clarke and they moved to Monxton, where they still live today.

Today, aged 89 and 87, the couple still live independently and are supported by their two grandchildren and four great children who regularly visit.