Durham woman celebrates 75th wedding anniversary as couple reach combined age of 200

A Durham-born centenarian is celebrating with her husband after they reached their 75th wedding anniversary and a combined age of 200.

Rita Bradbury, who now lives in Wetherby, was born in Durham but moved to Yorkshire with her parents just before the start of the Second World War. During the War, she served in the Wrens and was stationed in Grimsby where she worked with colleagues who spotted German U-boats.

She also trained in Windsor where she saw princesses Elizabeth and Margaret performing in a pantomime well before Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, and she has the programme to prove it. Rita met her husband Arnold, who turned 100 last year, in Leeds and they married in 1948.

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The couple have lived in a care home in Wetherby since 2015 and after celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary there in March 2023, Rita marked her 100th birthday with a party attended by the couple's two sons, Michael and Peter.

Rita said: "I deserve a medal for putting up with Arnold but wouldn’t change him for the world! We are still very much in love."

Arnold added: "It was love at first sight, we just knew we would spend the rest of our lives together."

Caroline Byron, manager of Anchor's Wetherby Manor care home, said: "Arnold has a dry sense of humour and loves to talk about the past. Rita is quieter and loves to be well presented. She is known as the queen to some of the care team.

“The couple enjoy many of the activities we put on for residents. Their favourite activities are exercise classes and entertainment events."