A CHANCE encounter on a country lane led to a romance lasting over 50 years for Bill and Janet Durbin, who celebrated their golden wedding on Saturday.

The couple, who live in Chantry Gardens, Southwick, celebrated with 30 friends and family, including two of their bridesmaids, at the Farmhouse Inn, Southwick.

Mr and Mrs Durbin met as they were walking down a lane in the village of West Harptree, North Somerset, where Mrs Durbin's father had a mill and Mr Durbin was working on a farm, and have not looked back since.

They married in 1956 at the nearby Ubley village church and Mr Durbin later went to work for the Avon Rubber Company in Melksham, where he remained for 23 years, until retiring 11 years ago.

Mr Durbin said: "We're very compatible and do everything together. "There's a lot of trust between us and we have never rowed or bickered." The couple, who have been in Southwick for 27 years, both enjoy gardening and go for a morning walk together every day.

They have three sons, Kevin, 48, Christopher, 46, and Mark, 42 and seven grandchildren, Stuart, 23, Anthony, 21, Laura, 16, Hannah, 15, Katie, 14, Amy, 14 and Lucy, 12.