When Bill Hall went for a dip at his local swimming pool, he never expected it would lead to meeting the love of his life.
But more than 60 years on from that day, the 80-year-old is celebrating his diamond wedding anniversary with wife Nancy, also 80.
The couple, from Fakenham, met when Mrs Hall moved to Buckinghamshire in Summer 1953 after her dad passed away and her mum wanted to be closer to her daughter.
She took a trip to the local swimming pool, where she and Bill took turns splashing each other by ‘bombing’.
At the start of the next school year, the pair would walk to school together. A few months later Bill asked her to the school’s Christmas dance, and they have not separated since.
Mr Hall believes his success in love has been down to their friendship.
“We were always friends, it has been the base of our relationship,” he said.
“We have been through thick and thin, we’ve had our difficult moments, but we have been there to help each other through it.
“It’s all about sticking together.”
Mrs Hall said: “It is about the give and take. Knowing there is always someone there you can rely on, through thick and thin.”
The couple had planned to have a meal at The Pheasant Hotel in Holt with friends and family to celebrate. But, that is currently on hold due to coronavirus.
But they won’t let it spoil their day. Instead, the couple will enjoy an Italian meal at home as well as a slice of home-made lemon meringue pie.
The couple moved to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire after both getting jobs at the county council’s treasury and health departments. They would share walks to work and lunch dates in the canteen every day.
The pair moved to High Wycombe where they brought their first home and had two of their three children there, before moving to Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire for 25 years as Bill had a job in London.
It was when their oldest son, Ian, moved to Norwich for work that they first visited Norfolk. They fell in love with the county and decided to move to Fakenham in 2004.
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