AN EVACUATION out of London during the Second World War brought together Reg and Pauline Human – who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this weekend.

The couple first met in the Reading office of specialist hospital equipment manufacturer Watson and Co, which moved Reg and other staff to the Berkshire town when war broke out in 1939.

On Saturday, they celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary at The Kingsdown pub with family. The couple, who live in Albion Street, also received a card from the Queen and cut a large cake.

Reg, 90, said: “I was an evacuee with the firm I worked with from London to Reading. I was an engineering apprentice. She was working in the office. It went from there.”

Pauline, 89, said: “We were friends to start with. It was quite exciting having these chaps coming down.”

The relationship bloomed from there. Their wedding took place at Burghfield, Berkshire, on February 6, 1943 – the day after Reg, who had joined the Army a year earlier, officially passed out from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

He was in the Army for 10 years and the couple lived together at various postings, including Germany and Egypt. After he retired from the Army, they lived around the UK, even running a pub near Maidenhead for about six years.

They moved to Swindon seven years ago to be nearer their family.

Commenting on their 70 years together, Reg said: “It just comes. It’s something we don’t think about. We don’t worry about any of the ups and downs and that’s it.

“Every anniversary we have, we have it and enjoy it and don’t think it’s going to be the last one.”

The couple have six children, 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, with another great-grandchild expected soon.