"IT FELT natural and right."

One Romsey couple are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary today (April 5) after getting married beneath the bells of Romsey Abbey.

Peter Harding walked to Romsey alongside his brother and parents with just two suitcases in 1940 to escape the bombing of Southampton.

A dart was thrown at a map and landed on the historic market town. His mother set up a cafe in Latimer Street, and he has lived in the town ever since.

Aged 17, Peter, a member of Romsey Boys Club, met his future wife Wendy at Abbey Hall at a dance, where they "both knew what was going to happen."

Peter, now 83, said: "I think we both knew what was going to happen. It just felt natural and right and it's been 60 glorious years together. We must be doing something right I suppose."

The two were married on April 5 1958 at Romsey Abbey, though the ceremony almost didn't go ahead, as Wendy was diagnoses with pneumonia.

It took a promise to her doctor to wear a woollen vest underneath her wedding dress for Wendy to be able to walk down the isle, before a ceremony at the White Horse.

Peter spent his working life as an electrician up and down the country, while Wendy trained to be a teacher, and spent most of her years working part-time at Romsey Abbey C of E Primary School.

A season ticket holder for Saints since the age of 12, Peter saw the club lift the 1976 FA Cup at Wembley and still goes to all the home and away matches, including the most recent match against West Ham United down in London.

On Sunday, the two will celebrate the anniversary with a ceremony at the same place as the wedding reception – the White Horse in Romsey.

Peter added: "My only advice is to never second-guess the judgement of your wife – because she chose you.

"I joke that I have been supporting Saints since I was 12, and I have been supporting Wendy since I was 17!"

Their daughter Jane Russell said: "I don't know what their secret is, it isn't one that I can answer, but they're a very special couple."