WHO would have thought a seven mile walk home would have lead to a long and happy 60 year marriage for Peter and Mary Monk?

The diamond couple, from Derwent Road in Bicester, met outside a dance in Hook Norton in 1952 where Mr Monk, 86, proved the perfect gentleman by walking his future wife all the way back to her home in Little Tew - one mile further than his own home in Great Tew.

At the time, the 21-year-old was on weekend leave from the army and was returning to Bottesford Reserve Depot the next day - so wasted no time in asking to see his future Mrs Monk (nee Taylor) again the next day.

He said: "I was only on leave for the weekend so we met back up on the Sunday and Mary got a lift to the station in Banbury to see me off on the train.

"My friends who were from up north used to cover for me and say 'you go on home', and I used to also sneak back on my motorbike in the evenings and get back in time in the morning.

"But I was then stationed in Egypt for 15 months so then we used to write and send photographs."

Once Mr Monk returned home in about 1955, he got permission from Mrs Monk's father and when outside a jewellers in Banbury one day asked his bride-to-be to marry him.

The couple worked hard to save for their wedding on July 28, 1956, at Little Tew Church, but while honeymooning at Mrs Monk's sister's home in Milton Keynes, history repeated itself and Mr Monk was ordered back to the army immediately.

Mrs Monk, one of ten siblings and a wages clerk at the time, said: "For our honeymoon we managed to choose the sister with the five children, I remember there was even a bath in the kitchen.

"We managed a few days there before Peter was called back to the army immediately with the fifth battalion in Aldershot for three and a half months."

In 1963 that the pair moved away from the village to Ardley-with-Fewcott, where they built a cottage and brought up their family of three daughters Karen, Debbie and Alison.

Admitting they were "glutton for punishment" the pair took it in turns to look after the children while Mrs Monk continued her work as a wages clerk and Mr Monk worked at the Bicester depot of British Leylands as well as part time as a school bus driver.

The couple moved to Bicester in 1988 where they now enjoy a "forever busy home" with nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Mrs Monk, 82, said: "Life is what you make it, we work together with one another and don't argue a lot.

"He used to have his two jobs and keep the family going and was always good with the children."

Her husband added: "She has always been a wonderful wife all the way through."

The pair will celebrate their marriage milestone with afternoon tea with friends and family.