TWO 83-year-olds in Chard have defied expectations by finding love again and tying the knot.

Peter and Nancy Barratt met three years ago at a Baptist church club in the town and after two years of Peter asking, they finally got married on Easter Monday, April 17.

Peter, a retired engineer who has lived in the Chard area for 56 years, said: “One day I came in and she was just there. She introduced herself to people and then it was a while of just getting to know each other.”

Nancy, a retired secretary and chef, has lived in Chard for 17 years after moving from Weston-Super-Mare.

She said: “After a couple of months, maybe about three months, Peter said about getting married. Peter loves wedding cake.

“It took a while, but Peter was like a dog with a bone and he just kept on going. It took me about two years to accept, but then we got engaged.

Peter added: “It is very much a romance. I am a romantic and at our age it is wonderful because we weren’t looking for it.

“We got engaged about 18 months ago. I took her out for dinner to the Golden Fleece at Tatworth.

Nancy added: “Peter didn’t get down on one knee, because he wouldn’t be able to get back up again.

“I live here at St Gilda’s and Peter lives at the Maltings. I am so independent and have been for many years. We are still going to have our own homes and it keeps the romance going.

The wedding reception was organised by St Gilda’s carer Jenny Simons and her husband Brian.

Jenny said: “The wedding was wonderful. We did the decorations and we did the catering as well. They had a wonderful day with family and friends.

“I have known Peter as long as Nancy has. They are a lovely couple. Nancy loves a bit of fun. They are always full of it, Nancy more so than Peter.”

Nancy added: “It was lovely. It was absolutely marvellous. It was wonderful. Jenny and Brian ran the whole thing here and Jenny dressed the whole place up, and the food was absolutely brilliant.

“I have nine grandchildren and they were all at the wedding. There were lots of friends and there was about 80 guests at the wedding.

The couple enjoyed a romantic honeymoon in Weston-Super-Mare staying at the Premier Inn, something they would “thoroughly recommend” for newlyweds.