CHILDHOOD sweethearts whose Southampton school romance blossomed into a lifelong love celebrated their diamond wedding yesterday.

Phyllis and Maurice Jones, of Bitterne, met at St Deny's School while attending evening classes as young teens.

She trained in secretarial skills to work at Vickers Armstrong while he took evening classes in engineering to join the Merchant Navy as a marine engineer.

She said: "We met when I was 13-years-old. I thought he was alright. We were going out for quite a while before I was engaged at 17. We were engaged for four years. The war was on at the time and my dad would not let me marry until I was 21-years-old."

The 1948 wedding at St Deny's Church happened in a flurry on April 24 as Maurice prepared to return to sea.

He said: "I fell for her right away. We got on well.

"She had been on about getting married for several years but I was never in the country long enough. One weekend I did my watch on Friday night, we were married on Saturday and I was back at sea on Monday.

"I think the reason we have lasted as long as is we have is that we don't argue."

The great-grandparents were congratulated by a message from the Queen and hoped to celebrate their big day with sons Stephen and Graham.