A NURSERY nurse who was evacuated to Godmanchester during the war fell in love with a local farmer. Now sixty years on the couple are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary. Richard and Joyce Underwood, of Silver Street, Godmanchester, were marrie

A NURSERY nurse who was evacuated to Godmanchester during the war fell in love with a local farmer.

Now sixty years on the couple are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.

Richard and Joyce Underwood, of Silver Street, Godmanchester, were married on February 23, 1946, at St Matthew's Church in Stratford, London.

The couple first met when Joyce was 15 and Richard was a 20-year-old farmer.

Joyce would regularly take the children out on walks around the town and to Richard's farm. It was love at first sight for Richard, 85, who said: "I saw Joyce coming up the road with the nursery school children and I thought that's the girl I want to marry."

They survived a long distance relationship after the war when Joyce moved back to London and Richard wrote everyday and visited her every six weeks, taking her presents of home-made butter from the farm.

But the city girl had to be persuaded to leave London: "He had to work on me to get me away from London as I wasn't too keen on country living. But he persuaded me and now I love it."

The couple married five years later, setting up home at Wigmore Farm in Godmanchester, managing 700 acres of land and 20 cows.

The couple still share a love of flowers and gardening and Joyce was chairman of the Godmanchester Derby and Joan Club for 20 years.

They have four sons, four grandsons and two great grandchildren.

As for the secret to their long and happy marriage, Joyce, 80, said: "We are a good team. We have had our fair share of arguments but every couple has those."

Richard added: "It's all about give and take, plus she's a good cook and I haven't found a better one."

The couple will celebrate their wedding anniversary with a family lunch at The George and Dragon in Elsworth this Sunday.