A COUPLE whose teenage eyes first met across a dance floor in Kempsey are due to celebrate their golden wedding on Boxing Day.

Active septuagenarians Leslie and Violet Underhill from Warndon will clock up 50 years of marriage on Wednesday.

They were married at Kempsey church on December 26, 1951, after Leslie spent three years courting Violet by cycliing from his home in Bunns Road and travelling more than 10 miles to the village.

The two, who were keen ballroom and old time dancers, would then often cycle back down to Worcester with Violet on the handlebars to go partying at the Co-op club.

Leslie, aged 71, has lived in the city all his life, where he worked as a butcher in Broad Street and later in the Shambles Market Hall.

And 71-year-old Violet also worked in the Faithful City as both a nurse and as a worker at the Kays catalogue company.

Although the two did not have a honeymoon, they have since made up for it by taking a number of holidays the length and breadth of the UK, especially to Wales.

The two love short weekend breaks and mystery tours.

Leslie is a keen gardener and has been given awards and a number of accolades for his fabulous displays of garden flowers through the Worcester in Bloom competition.

While Leslie is keen on getting his hands dirty, Violet prefers to deal with the housework and to get down the bingo hall as regularly as possible.

She has scooped the £1,000 jackpot twice and regularly wins food and drink, which she says will keep the family stocked up over Christmas.

"We have been together for 50 years and we have never argued, I think being light-hearted and both having a good sense of humour has been the secret of our success," said Leslie.

"We also both love to party and we are always on the lookout for a good excuse to have a big family get together."

They plan to celebrate their golden milestone with a disco and buffet, with 75 family members and friends set to attend the big event.