They said it wouldn’t last - a month or, at the most, a year.

When Peter married Shirley Apps after knowing her for just six months, friends and family jokingly made them pose with a ball and chain to symbolise their relationship was not going anywhere.

But 50 years later, after a rocky start, the blissfully happy couple are still together.

And tomorrow afternoon (Friday) April 5 they will be renewing their wedding vows at St Francis Church in Strood.

Peter and Shirley met working at a drinks factory in East Malling when they were 16 but the two did not exactly hit it off at the start. Shirley said: “He used to annoy me by taking my hat off. He would aggravate me all the time.”

And then, out of the blue, Peter asked her hand in marriage, “just for a joke” and as “a bet with a workmate”.

Shirley immediately turned him down - and promptly hit him over the head with a bottle of bubbly.

Peter persisted and in the end Shirley agreed to meet up at Chatham Register Office because she “had nothing better to do”.

When the registrar asked if Peter would take Shirley as his lawful wedded wife he said “yes”.

Speaking from their home in Darnley Road, Strood, she said: “I was expecting him to say ‘no’ and for us to go our separate ways. But when he said ‘yes’ I thought I might as well too.”

“My mate said it would last for a month and my parents a year. But we have proved everyone wrong..." Peter Apps

Afterwards, the newly-weds joined six guests for an impromptu drink at the Poacher’s Pocket pub in Walderslade.

The relationship did not really take a turn for the better until several years later when they went on holiday together. Indeed on their third anniversary, they had a blazing row - and Shirley walked out on him.

It was in Aberystwyth, Wales, seven years into the marriage, that love finally blossomed.

She said: “We were always friends, which is more important than being sweethearts if you are to spend the rest of your life together.”

And now the couple, both aged 67, look more like loved-up teenagers, holding hands on the settee.

Peter said: “It helped that we worked a lot together. After the factory we worked at fruit farms in Higham.”

They have four grown-up children, 15 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren many of who will be attending a party in their garden on Saturday.

Peter said: “My mate said it would last for a month and my parents a year. But we have proved everyone wrong. Now the kids ask us what the secret is for a happy marriage.

“We do everything together. It’s difficult to tear us apart.”

The Rev Sharon Copestake, who will be carrying out the ceremony at her church in Galahad Avenue, said: “This is such a lovely story and it has been an absolute pleasure to meet Peter and Shirley and learn about their long and very happy marriage - and from such a young age.

“It is so important to be reminded that life long partnerships are built upon friendship, respect and commitment, regardless of circumstances.

“This is a very happy day for all of us.”

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