At the end of the Second World War, 20-year-old Derek Jeffs was forced to make the biggest decision of his life: return home from Scotland and leave behind the woman he loved, or ask for her hand in marriage.

It seems he made the right choice, as 70 years later the couple are about to celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary.

Derek and Andrewina Jeffs, of Owens Way in Croxley Green, met while both serving in the Navy, in St Andrews.

But at the end of the war, Essex-born Derek knew he had to marry Andrewina before he came home and she returned to Aberdeen.

So Mr Jeffs asked for her parents' permission and the couple were married in the same year, on August 31, 1941.

Valerie Parish, the couple’s daughter, said: “They are a great couple, everyone always says how lively and fun they are.

"They say the secret to a successful marriage is to talk everything over before you go to sleep.

“We are all very excited for the celebrations over bank holiday weekend. It’s going to be a really lovely day.”

Mrs Parish, 68, said the pair love socialising and are still very active, despite being aged 90 and 91. Her father only stopped cycling a couple of weeks ago.

They moved to Hertfordshire after the war where Mr Jeffs became an electrical engineer on aircraft carriers and Mrs Jeffs stayed at home as a housewife, occasionally working as a housekeeper.

The pair have three children, Valerie, Graham and Diane, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

More than 20 friends and family will be celebrating the couple’s anniversary in Sarratt on Monday.