LAUGHTER, love and understanding are the key ingredients to one couple’s 50 years together.

Bob and Diana Holman met when they were both working in the Cotswolds.

Mr Holman was working for the Met Office and had to go outside and look at the clouds and estimate the cloud height and take weather readings.

He said Mrs Holman worked for the Wing Commander downstairs in the building, and saw him looking up at the sky and thought he was a philosopher.

A mutual friend sent Mrs Holman to sell him some raffle tickets and that’s how the pair met. Mr Holman joked: “I was won in a raffle.”

The happy couple married on May 23, 1964 at St Lawrence’s Church in Bourton on the Water.

Mrs Holman worked as a secretary and did a number of different jobs including running an antiques stall and writing for the Echo as a community correspondent for 12 years.

Mr Holman also worked selling life insurance and pensions.

They have two children, Miranda and Samantha, and three grandchildren, Danny, Evie, and Robert.

To celebrate their golden wedding, the couple, who live in Affpuddle, were joined by family and friends for a cruise and meal on a boat on the Kennet and Avon canal.

Asked about the secret to their long and happy marriage, Mrs Holman said: “I think the secret possibly is having at least one good laugh together every day.”

Champion swimmer Mr Holman said: “We have always loved each other. We try to be tolerant and understanding and allowed each other the space to pursue our interests.”

Mr Holman said he loved swimming and had swum the Channel in 1992.

Later this year he will be swimming five miles round Brownsea Island.

Mr Holman said Mrs Holman was a top flower arranger.