"It's been a whirlwind"...this is how Mary Talbot described her romance with husband Fred Collingwood after the couple married last week.
Mary and Fred, both aged 89, tied the knot Thursday last at a registry office in Newcastle in the company of family and friends.
The couple began their relationship six months ago after meeting at a social club for the blind and visually impaired.
A mortar bomb explosion caused Fred to lose his eyesight during his time serving in the Second World War while Mary's sight began deteriorating about seven years ago due to a condition called (AMD).
AMD, or Age Related Macular Degeneration, causes loss of central vision over time.
Speaking about their relationship, Mary said: “Fred was always my friend but things changed after one kiss and a cuddle a few months ago.
“It has been a whirlwind and now I couldn’t do without him. I’ve said to him that if he dies we are going together".
Fred said the wedding was very "informal but it just felt like the right thing to do because we are so comfortable and affectionate with each other.
“We don’t behave our age together. How many couples in their 80s spend every day cuddling on the sofa. In fact Mary sulks if I don’t sit with my arm around her".
A volunteer coordinator by the name of Elizabeth Glover at the Silverdale-based Friday Club, said: “It was so lovely to watch their love blossom earlier this year. We have watched it develop and were thrilled when they announced they would get married.
“They always come in together holding hands and smiling. They won’t be parted".
Image via The Stoke Sentinel
