A HUSBAND and wife who met in the RAF during the Second World War are now celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary.

Staff and residents at Redwalls Nursing Home in Sandiway joined in the anniversary celebrations of John and Marion Thomas last Tuesday.

The couple live in Norley, but Mr Thomas, 94, is currently a short-stay resident at Redwalls, in nearby Weaverham Road, Sandiway.

They celebrated their big day at the Kingsley Healthcare-run home with a party and a special cake – and were delighted to receive an anniversary card from the Queen.

Mr Thomas, who likes to be known as Jack, fondly recalls how he met his future wife during the Second World War while they were both in the RAF working at a base at Malvern near Worcester.

He said: “We were in the canteen, I was with my mate and Marion was with her friend; the attraction was there from the moment we met.”

Mr Thomas worked on radar installations on aircraft while his future wife was a draughtswoman in the engineering drawing office.

He described his work with the RAF as 'exciting' and said he was privileged to have worked with some interesting scientists including Bernard Lovell who was the lead scientist for the giant telescope at Jodrell Bank.

During the war everything had been highly secretive and they were moved around the country to reduce the risk of bomb attacks.

His team were involved in inventing the first two magnetrons now used in freezers and microwaves.

After the couple wed in 1949, Mr Thomas left the RAF and pursued a career in the motor industry which he enjoyed until his retirement.

Mrs Thomas stayed on in the RAF after her husband left.

They raised three children and now have six grown up grandchildren; although they are spread around the country the family gets together in Norley for Christmas.

Mr Thomas said: “On three occasions we have celebrated landmark anniversaries by going back to Malvern with the whole family and revisiting the Methodist Church where we got married.”