Eric Townend, of Manor Gardens, was in Germany serving with the Royal Army Ordinance Corps.

He said: “I saw her across a crowded room but I didn’t speak a word of German so I didn’t know how I was going to introduce myself.

“But it turned out she spoke better English than me! And from then, we have never looked back.”

This Thursday the 82-year-old retired mechanic and his wife Martha, 79, celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary.

The couple were married at a church in Mr Townend’s home town, Leeds, on July 3 1948, but the celebrations were surprisingly muted.

Mrs Townend said: “It was a beautiful day but we didn’t have a honeymoon afterwards. We just went to the local pub. I took to English life straight away.”

The pair lodged at a house in Horsforth, Leeds, for five years before moving with Mr Townend’s mother to Seamer Road, Scarborough.

He said: “My mother already had a house in Scarborough and we came here with her and we lived together.

“When she died, the house was too big and we couldn’t afford to buy another one in Scarborough so we moved to Hunmanby. We used to always make trips here anyway and liked it a lot.”

Mr Townend worked as a mechanic at Renshaw’s Garage in Clifton Street, Scarborough, for 13 years, leaving when the business was taken over.

He then spent 17 years as a civilian driver for the police before retiring 20 years ago. He said: “It was something I enjoyed. It was an easy life really.”

The couple have one daughter, Barbara Allison, 59, and two grandchildren, Sharon, 38, and Simon, 22.

For their golden wedding anniversary 10 years ago they made an emotional return to the church in Leeds where they were married and were treated to a weekend in Paris by their daughter.

They have also been promised a surprise treat for their big day on Thursday.

Asked what the secret of their long-lasting love is, Mrs Townend said: “We understand each other and we love each other – still – and we have no arguments.”

Her husband added: “We have clung together like superglue. But then Germany was a long way for her to run home to her mum!”