'I saw her and I loved her': Childhood sweethearts Ted and Nancy celebrate 76 years of marriage today in Northampton

Two Northampton lovebirds, who first met on a Sunday afternoon in Abington Park 84 years ago, are celebrating 76 years of marriage together this week as they turn 100 years old.

Ted and Nancy Kinning tied the knot in 1944 during the Second World War at St Michael's Church before heading off on the train for a one-night honeymoon stay at the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Daventry during the blackout.

"She was such a pretty girl, I saw her and I loved her," Ted, who still lives at home with Nancy in their house of 66 years in Weston Favell, said. "And, she still loves me now.

The couple, who first met when they were 16, have only been apart when Ted was stationed for four years in Egypt back in 1940 where he worked as the leading aircraftsman in the RAF, building runways.

"There's no one way of having a happy marriage, you should get to know one another because we are all individuals. I enjoy my life and I say thank you every morning when I get up," Ted added.

Ted was born in Weston Favell in 1920 and Nancy, who was once only Welsh speaking, was born in Llangennith where she lived with her family in a railway carriage her dad made into a home, until they moved to Northampton for work when she was six.

During their happy years of matrimony together the couple had three sons, Stewart, Rob and Richard, and have loved spending time in their big garden and turned it into their own allotment where Ted would grow fresh vegetables for dinner until he had a fall and broke his thigh bone in February.

Ted, who still remains independant and cooks meals for his wife, used to work as a carpenter and joiner for Glenn & Sons and Nancy worked in the printing works at Clarke and Sherwell.

"The big thing in dad's life are his family, his garden and his faith," their son Rob said. "He hasn't got a negative bone in his body. One of his favourite sayings is 'today is today, live it'.

"I think the thing for me it's dad's total postive outlook on life which has so impacted me. And also, he has been consistent, I was a bit of a rebel as a teenager and he kept me on the straight and narrow and if you did something wrong there was a consequence and I am so thankful, we are the best of friends."

Their son Richard added: "I worked with my dad for a few years, and when you work with somebody in the building trade, they're your 'mate'.

"Although he's been my dad he's always been my mate and working with him was a continuation of what it was like at home."