Young May was walking along the quay at Wells with a girlfriend and two young chaps wolf-whistled at them.For May, 88, and 94-year-old Wally Whittaker that brief encounter one September day was to lead to 70 years of married bliss which the couple celebrated with a family party at their home in Knitting Needle Lane at Wells.

Young May was walking along the quay at Wells with a girlfriend and two young chaps wolf-whistled at them.

For May, 88, and 94-year-old Wally Whittaker that brief encounter one September day was to lead to 70 years of married bliss which the couple celebrated with a family party at their home in Knitting Needle Lane at Wells.

The couple were married on February 12, 1938, at the town's Union Chapel and set up home at The Glebe in Wells.

A year later their first son, Kenneth, was born and a decade later their daughter Pauline.

The couple now have three grandchildren, five great- grandchildren and two great, great-grandchildren.

“We argue but we have never had a row. We have been very happy and have a lovely family,” said Mrs Whittaker.

“We both had the same likes and neither of us drank or smoked.”

Mr Whittaker was a fisherman out of Wells all his life. During the second world war he served in the Navy for six years and is now one of the last surviving sailors from the small boats operation coming to the aid of soldiers on the beaches of Dunkirk.

Over the years May became known for her fund-raising and she helped raise thousands of pounds for a variety of worthy causes.