A CARING Rubery couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a meal with family and friends.

Viv and Les Watkins, from Meadowfield Road, first met in 1944 during the war when they were both in the RAF in London.

The pair married about 18 months later at St Godwald's Church, in Aston Fields.

Les then joined West Midlands Police where he stayed for 32 years until he retired as an inspector. During these years they lived in Small Heath, Northfield, and later moved to Rubery.

The pair have two children, Robert and Jennifer, three grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.

Les said the secret to their long marriage was never going to bed on an argument and loving each other.

He added: "We never let arguments carry on and make sure they are finished.

"You cannot get the recipe for staying married out of a book, but there is a different attitude to marriage now. When we got married we wanted to stay married and work with it and make it strong."