A SOUTHAMPTON couple celebrated 70 years of devotion to each other with a party.

Derek and Lydia Lubbock met in the middle of World War II when Derek was posted to Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia.

And after only spending a couple of weeks in the same country, they wrote to each other for two years before Derek proposed - also by letter.

Although they wanted to stay in Lydia’s home country they were forced to flee back to Britain after the Russians invaded.

Originally from London Derek and his new wife Lydia made Southampton their home, where Derek found work in the architects’ departure at Southampton council and spent his career restoring the city’s walls and historic buildings including Tudor House.

Lydia also worked at the council in the traffic department and they had a daughter Helen Dunn, who worked at Halterworth School and lives in Romsey.

Now 98 and 93 years old Derek and Lydia join the lunch club at St Mark’s Church, the Padwell Road daycare centre and Guardian Court’s Thursday club.

Helen said: “They have always been completely devoted to each other. I’ve never heard them argue and my dad took great care of my mum, knowing that she had come from a foreign country. She never saw her parents again after they left Yugoslavia.”

The couple have lived in the same city street for the last 45 years. They celebrated their platinum anniversary with a party organised by Brendoncare.