ANDOVER grandparents who celebrated 60 years of marriage last week have said they are “not a mushy couple”.

Joan and Desmond Ginger celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on Thursday, 7 September.

The Shakespeare Road couple first met when Mr Ginger, known as Des, was completing his national service in Kent.

Mrs Ginger, 78, said: “My husband was in the army in Ashford and was in the R.E.M.E [Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers].

“I met him at the skating rink. I was with a friend and he was with a friend and I think they were going out with each other, and that’s how I met Des and it all went from there.”

The diamond duo spent time together in Hythe and Folkestone would go to dances, though Mr Ginger did not tend to dance at the events.

On the proposal, Mr Ginger, said: “I asked her father if I could marry her. I was wiping the dishes and I turned to her father and said ‘could I marry your daughter, I’d like to be your son-in-law’ and he said ‘let me think about it’.

“And before the evening was over he said ‘alright.’

“He was happy enough for us to get married and I was a lodger in their house because I was working for Rediffusion - that was fixing TVs and wireless.”

The pair married at St Mary’s Church in Willesborough, two years after they first met.

They went on to have three children and are now grandparents of eight.

The couple moved to Andover in 1961 so Mr Ginger, who is originally from Hurstbourne Tarrant, could start work again as a trainer manufacturer for Taskers & Sons in Anna Valley.

Mrs Ginger took a job at QMG, Monxton Road sorting post and worked there for 24 years.

On the secret to their long marriage, 83-year-old Mr Ginger said: “We decided on happiness and loving each other.”

On advice to young couples, Mrs Ginger said tolerance is important in a relationship, adding: “We’ve had to work at it, you really have to work at it for years.

“We aren’t going to be one of those couple’s that say they’ve never had any arguments because we have.

“Couples who say they haven’t had arguments aren’t telling the truth.

“You just have to learn to give and take.”

The pair have travelled all over the world, including Russia, Norway, Italy and Austria.

Mrs Ginger added: “We have had some lovely holidays.”