A MONKSILVER couple looked back over 60 years of married life last week and recalled how they narrowly missed being hit by a German bomb in World War Two.

A bomb landed just behind Leslie and Doreen March as they walked home after their wedding in 1941. The harsh realities of the war had already caused headaches for the couple who were unable to have a traditional wedding.

Leslie and Doreen, of Pond Orchard, tied the knot near Shepton Mallet but the service was held at 8am, food was anything they could get their hands on and there were no pictures taken of their special day.

Their marriage followed a four-year engagement with Leslie working on a farm while Doreen was a land girl.

Leslie sold his farm and bought a florist which he sold in 1972 when he and Doreen moved to Home Farm, West Quantoxhead.

An opportunity arose for a groundsman at St Audries School, Leslie took the job and Doreen later joined him, so they worked side-by-side for more than 25 years.

They always enjoyed taking caravan holidays to Wales and once managed to trek to the top of Mount Snowdon.

Many of Leslie and Doreen's relatives run their own businesses, making it difficult for the couple to hold a party on their diamond wedding day. Instead, the celebrations have been put on hold until Christmas.

Leslie said they had never had a argument in all the time that they had been together because they made an effort to respect each other's viewpoints.

"We have always agreed together on most things and we have never quarrelled - and this has given us 60 wonderful years with each other," Leslie said.

Photo: Steve Guscott.