As part of their celebrations, they also plan to have a holiday in the Canary Islands later in the year.

The couple, of Abbey Road, met when Mr Barton was on a day trip to Skegness in his brother's borrowed trousers and shirt.

All that Mr Barton had to wear was his Navy uniform, so he borrowed clothes from his brother for the day, and the romance between the happy couple began.

They were married at St Mary's Church, Edwinstowe, on 19th June,1948.

Mrs Barton, nee Bryan, had five bridesmaids and a pageboy and believes that the Chronicle/Advertiser (now the Chad) reported on the wedding.

The reception was held in St Mary's Church Rooms and although there was no honeymoon then, she said there has been honeymoons every year since.

Now 81, she was born in Tibshelf and later moved with her parents and two brothers.

First they lived at Sutton where she took her 11 plus at Huthwaite Road School before moving to Edwinstowe in 1938.

She attended the County School, Edwinstowe, and left when she was 14.

She started work at the Metal Box Company, Mansfield, (then Barringer, Wallis & Manners) staying with the company until her marriage.

After raising their two sons, Kathleen decided to go back to work part-time and did a variety of jobs through the years.

Mr Barton (81) was born in Clowne, Derbyshire, before moving with his family to Ollerton in 1928. He attended Walesby Lane Junior and Whinney Lane schools, New Ollerton.

When he left school aged 14 he worked at Ollerton Colliery for a year before moving to Morley's Garage and also worked in forestry.

Aged 17 he joined the Royal Navy and served four years as a radar operator.

He was stationed aboard aircraft carrier HMS Hunter and was also present in Singapore when Lord Mountbatten and General Slim accepted the Japanese surrender in 1945.

After leaving the Navy in 1947, he went to work for Ransome & Marle's Bearings Factory and returned to Ollerton Colliery in 1949 working there until 1985.

The couple also have three grandchildren, Gregory, Nadine and Christian.

Mr and Mrs Barton enjoy caravanning, especially on the coast.

They have had holidays in the Canaries, Cyprus and Malta among other places.

They are both keen ballroom dancers and enjoy gardening, and Mr Barton loves fishing, whereas Mrs Barton is more musically- minded and plays the keyboard.

They both believe that tolerance, give and take, and working at their marriage is the key to their long and happy life together.