Teenage sweethearts finally get married in their 70s after six decades forced apart

A couple who were forced apart as teens reunited and got married an incredible six decades after they first met. How sweet is that?

Jeanette Steer, 78, met Len Allbrighton, 79, met when they were just teens and say it was ‘love at first sight’.

So much so that Len popped the question to a delighted Jeanette just months after they met while working as trainee nurses at St Mary's Hospital on the Isle of Wight.

The pair planned to move overseas to Australia to start a new life, with Len planning to buy a piece of land and build a house for them.

However, as Jeanette was just 18 at the time - and the age of consent to get married was 21 back then - her parents shut down their plans to get hitched and the move was called off.

Poor Len received a heart-breaking letter for Jeanette ending their engagement while he was already out in Australia.

In time, both Len and Jeanette married new partners, started families and moved on with their lives.

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But showing that love really does have no bounds, 52 years later - and now divorced - Len decided to try and track down his long-lost love.

He flew out to the Isle of Wight and looked up her address on the electoral roll before popping round - much to the surprised of Jeanette.

Len said: "I was daunted not knowing what her reaction would be or if I would even see her.

"I went on the off chance. It was not an easy place to find but I did.

"I just hoped she was OK - I didn't expect anything else. I'm very surprised by the outcome of my trip down there and very happy too!"

And Jeanette is as equally as delighted, now living in Stevenage with Len, she said: "I nearly died when I realised it was him standing by my garden fence.

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"I was glad he looked me up - I thought of him a lot at the time.

"Married life is fantastic - it couldn't be better. It's nice to have someone who treats me with respect. I like doing everything and anything with Len."

Jeanette was still married to her husband when Len tracked her down, so she quickly sent him away, but two years later he sadly passed away and this time Jeanette was the one who looked up Len.

When Len invited Jeanette up to live with him in Stevenage in 2018, she said: "It didn't feel strange, it felt natural.

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"I was glad he asked me. I couldn't wait to get up here to be with him."

Last year, and six decades on from his original proposal, Len asked Jeanette to marry him again - and, once again, Jeanette was quick to give a very big ‘yes’.

Unlike the first-time round, no one meddled in their nuptials, with Jeanette’s daughter even stepping into give her mum away.

Talking about their special day, Len said: "We fell in love again. We read poems to each other and exchanged rings - I got emotional when reading mine. I was overwhelmed with my love for her."