64-year marriage takes the title

10:07am Friday 18th July 2008

A COUPLE married for an incredible 64 years have stepped forward to share the details of their wedding at Great Malvern Priory.

Organisers of this weekend's Festival of Weddings had been seeking the couple who have been married the longest after tying the knot at the historic church.

Following coverage in the Malvern Gazette last week, in which Edna and Stan Abercrombie gave details of their 61 years marriage, it was presumed the title had been taken.

But a last minute letter from Cyril and Anna Halstead, from Ayrshire, Scotland, proved that there were older couples out there.

Mr Halstead recalled his wedding day: "It was all a great rush. We had to be in the Lake District by the evening and you know what transport was like during the war.

"It was quite a small wedding with just our family and a few friends from the Telecommunications Research Establishment."

The Halsteads, both in there 80s, moved to Scotland shortly afterwards and have only visited Malvern once since then.

"It was a nice little place," said Mr Halstead, "We used to go to a little restaurant at the Winter Gardens."

The festival runs from today (Friday) until Monday, July 21. The Priory will be filled with flowers, old wedding dresses, memorabilia and photographs over the weekend and visitors will be able to enjoy live music as well as the ringing of the church's bells.

A special service, focusing on a celebration of marriage, will take place on Sunday, July 20, from 6.30pm, in the Priory.