TWO Redditch lovebirds were overjoyed as they marked their platinum wedding anniversary earlier this week.

Jim and Hazel Brown, aged 93 and 89 respectively, received a special celebration after 70 years of marriage on Wednesday (June 2).

The happy couple live at Sanctuary Care’s Brambles Residential Care Home in Redditch. They were treated to live music, featuring all their favourites from Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, and afternoon tea in the sunshine. They also proudly received a card from the Queen to mark their huge milestone.

The couple met when they were teenagers and it was love at first sight. Their daughter Lin said: “When dad came home that night he told his mum he’d just met the girl he was going to marry.”

They have lived in Redditch for more than 65 years in homes in Hunt End and Crumpfields Lane, Webheath.

Lin added: “It’s really quite special that they have made it to this celebration and had such a lovely, lovely day.”

During their married life Jim and Hazel loved gardening and had a plot with geese, sheep and even bees.

Travel was also a huge part of their lives, and they have ventured to approximately 60 different countries across the world together via air, sea and on road in their caravan.

They have three children – Lin, Heather and Cheryl, seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren.