Couple with 40 year age gap are celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary

A couple with a near 40-year age gap are celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary.

Edna Martin, 87 and Simon Martin, 47, met 18 years ago at a concert, when she was 69 and he was 31. The couple, from Weston-super-Mare, say it was 'love at first sight'.

Nearly two decades on and the couple have just celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary, enjoying a meal at a local fish and chips restaurant and exchanging romantic gifts.

Grandmother-of-four Edna bought Simon a torque bracelet and Simon surprised Edna with some crystal earrings.

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The couple say their happy marriage is the result of treating each other with love and affection and going on adventures every day.

“We still go out together and walk hand-in-hand on our wheelers because we both struggle with out mobility," says Simon.

“We have actually inspired other people in age-gap relationships to take the next step and get married.

“Our friends and acquaintances have always been happy for us but of course we just ignore any weird looks and comments.

“Love is love and everyone should ignore what anyone else says. Age is a state of mind, if you feel old, you are old."

Edna, a retired engineer, says: “We are still very much in love and keep our relationship alive through our little adventures.”

The pair say they no longer receive strange looks and comments in their local community, and say everyone accepts their relationship after they've been together for so long.

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When the couple first met, Simon who had never had a girlfriend before, lived in Birmingham and so the pair had to be long-distance for a little while.

But, after struggling to be apart, they moved in together a few weeks later. And while Simon's family took some time to adjust to the age gap, they soon came around after they saw how happy he was. Meanwhile, Edna's family have always been supportive and watched the couple wed on 8 July, 2005.

"My daughter made our wedding cake and my son gave me away," says Edna.

"He said at the wedding reception: 'I've been wanting to give my mother away all my life and this is the day for it.' 

"My son is 57. My grandchildren are more the age that Simon is, but nobody takes any notice.

"The people where we live are very warm and friendly - they're not very judgmental, not that it's anyone's business."

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The couple are happier than ever, and say they find it hard to keep their hands off one another.

"When you love each other as much as Simon and I, it's reasonably impossible to keep your hands off each other - let alone other bits of your anatomy," says Edna.

"We often have a little kiss in the supermarket queue or pinch each other's bums. We're very lucky we still enjoy a marvellous physical relationship," adds Simon.

"It's really wonderful that we can express our love publicly - not for other people, but for ourselves. 

"It's very rare to see a couple of any age giving each other a loving peck or showing their affection."