“GIVE and take” is the secret of a Hampshire couple who has recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

June and Alec McLean, from Hedge End, met in Woolston back in 1954, when Jane moved from London and ended up living only few doors away from Alec.

After they met each through mutual friends, Alec asked June to go to the cinema and they have been together since.

“We went to a cinema in Woolston but I don’t remember the film we watched. We had been dating for three years before we got married, I was very young,” said June, 78. The couple married in Peartree Church in Woolston and honeymooned in Guernsey.

Jane worked as secretary for his father’s shop and Alec, 82, worked as tool maker for Folland Aircraft in Hamble and they both still help their son to run his business. The couple have one daughter and two sons, five grandchildren and a great granddaughter.

June said: “Having children and grandchildren and staying together and raising the family has been our biggest achievement. Alec has always looked after me, I can’t imagine my life without him.”

June’s advice to any young couples is to never give up and have fun together.

“ We always talk and if we have a problem we discuss it, we don’t give up, we try to sort things out. The biggest problem today is that young couples don’t talk. They should make sure they have fun together,”she added.

Alec, 82, said that they are still in love after 60 years.

Throughout the years the couple have enjoyed dancing together and used to dance at the Guildhall in Southampton.

For their 60th anniversary their sons and daughter took them to Peartree Church before having a family meal and Alec and June have even received a card from the Queen, who congratulated with them for their 60 years together.

Now they will spend few days on the Isle of Wight before going to Tenerife later this year.