A COUPLE who were friends for years before love blossomed have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.

Alice Badland and Bob Lang met at a fair in Pingle Field, Bicester, in 1939, just before the Second World War was declared.

Alice, then nine, had been evacuated to the town from her home in West Ham, London.

She said: “There was a gang of us at the time and we all kept together.

“We were friends for eight years and got together in 1947.”

Alice, now 79, and former painter and decorator Bob, 80, of Woodfield Road, became engaged in 1948 and were married on April 16 the following year.

They have four children, David, 57, Teresa, 50, Paul, 46, and Mandy, 42, and five grandchildren.

Mrs Lang worked at former delicatessen RV Jones, in Sheep Street, for 40 years, and afterwards at the soap factory, in Launton Road.

She carried on working after her husband was forced to retire from building work after he had a triple heart by-pass operation.

At the time, 20 years ago, he had to travel to London for the operation, as it was not performed at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford.

The couple have enjoyed travelling throughout their marriage including holidays in Spain, Italy, Germany and Holland.

As part of their wedding anniversary celebrations, the couple and other family members went on a canal boating holiday.

Mrs Lang said the secret to a long and happy marriage was looking after each other.

She said: “It’s about keeping together and looking after one another.

“We have had lovely children – they are always there for us if we want them.”

The couple also received a card from the Queen.