SEVENTY years of marriage hasn’t dulled the sparkle in Barbara Samuel’s eye as she teases her husband about him “waffling on”.

It hasn’t wavered the enthusiasm in Norman Samuel’s voice as he talks about the restaurant-quality food she cooks for him every night.

The Abingdon couple yesterday celebrated their platinum anniversary, inundated with flowers and cards which decorated their cosy living room in Withington Court.

Mr Samuels, 94, said: “I was stationed at the RAF aerodrome near Yelverton in Devon, in 193 Squadron. We used to cycle down the hill to the village and go dancing seven nights a week. That’s where I met her.”

Mrs Samuels, 89, said: “I don’t know if it was love at first sight. He was very handsome, that’s why I went with him I expect.”

After first meeting in 1943, Mr Samuels would hitch-hike to see his future wife at her Devon home, as his squadron moved about the country.

They were engaged after a couple of years and married near Plymouth in 1946.

Mrs Samuels (then Miss Lean) sent parcels of homemade sausage rolls to her beloved during his five-year Second World War service, as a Spitfire and Typhoon pilot.

The veteran, who trained in America, ended his duty in a crash-landing in Holland after his Spitfire was shot down.

Mrs Samuels received a telegram saying he was missing and presumed dead.

In fact he had escaped the wreckage, but was captured and held at a German prisoner of war camp.

She said: “It was a worry when he got shot down. Six weeks later I had a phone call asking me to go and pick him up from Newbury.”

The couple, who chalked up their success to never letting an argument last more than an hour, moved to Abingdon in 1970.

They were visited by mayor Helen Pighills yesterday who wished them a happy anniversary, plus a town crier who rang his bell outside their house to mark the celebration.

Their only son Peter Samuels, 68, lives a few doors down from his parents.

He said: “They love each other even after all that length of time.

“My mother really looks after my father as he can’t really get around very well.”

Mr Samuels said: “She does look after me. She can cook everything you can think of.

“We don’t just have one roast a week, I get three or four, and steak or fish.

“We are still here and we are still happy.”

The couple, who enjoy gardening, were joined by their son and daughter-in-law, granddaughter and great-grandson for an anniversary lunch.