FALLING in love is easy . . . but staying in love for 65 years is something special.

That's the view of Dennis and Lorna Fennell, of Barnards Green, who think they are lucky to have shared a long and happy married life together.

The pair celebrated their 65th anniversary last Sunday with a gathering of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in the Cotswolds.

The couple met in India, where they were both raised.

Lorna was persuaded by her grandmother to play the organ at Lucknow church, where Dennis was parish chaplain.

"I saw her and it was love," said Dennis.

The couple spent their honeymoon on a luxurious houseboat on Kashmir's Lake Dahl. They were thrilled to see the location featured on Michael Palin's BBC1 programme about the Himalayas on the evening of their anniversary.

Dennis had been expected to join the army like his father but chose the church, after working at a Bombay leper colony.

While still in Lucknow, the couple had two children and helped raise two more. The extended family came to Britain in 1948, after Indian independence.

Working in the North London parish of Queensbury, the couple helped secure a new church building in 1954 to replace a wooden hut. Later this month, they will attend the church's 50th anniversary celebrations.

"Thirty-seven couples met at the youth club we started at the church and Dennis married all of them," said 84-year-old Lorna.

The couple moved to Birmingham in the 1960s working at the cathedral and a small parish church. They retired and moved to Malvern 18 years ago.

At 90, Dennis - now Canon Dennis Fennell - still visits homes, hospitals and churches - travelling everywhere by bus and train since becoming partially-sighted a few years ago. He also fundraises for charity and recently completed a Malvern Hills walk for Sightsavers.

"There's still plenty to do. We keep busy doing what is important. We live each day one at a time and we're very happy," he said.

The couple renews their wedding vows each year.

"I can't quite believe it's been 65 years. We're very lucky. We've had a wonderful life and we've had each other," said Lorna.