When Bob Baker's house was bombed during the Second World War it would lead to a lifelong romance which would flourish to this very day.

The youngster, then 13, was re-located to a new school where he met a girl called Ruth and the pair would write notes to each other in class.

Despite frequently being separated as the war raged on, their love and loyalty stayed strong, and when the conflict was over lovestruck Bob, by then a postman, would cycle from London to Kent to see his sweetheart on his days off.

Eventually the smitten pair married in St James' Church in Westbrook on April 1, 1950, and 70 years on, are now celebrating their platinum wedding anniversary.

But the couple, who are in their nineties and live in Westgate, admit they are finding it incredibly difficult due to being in self-isolation and away from their family for the milestone.

Mrs Baker, 91, says it has been an emotional time.

"We have a lovely family and we were planning to spend it with them," she said.

"But we were just on our own. Bob has been ill with bronchitis and he is only just getting better now.

'We do everything together. I think that is what has kept us so happy'

"So on the day, it was just us."

Mr and Mrs Baker were separated as youngsters when her family moved to Herne Bay from London to escape the disruption of the war after the family's grocery shop was bombed.

Mr Baker, then 16 and an engineering apprentice, was conscripted to the Army, serving with the Royal Corps of Signals in Greece.

Spending two and a half years apart from each other, the love letters continued.

Returning to London after being demobbed in October 1948, Mr Baker became a postman, but it wasn't until a year after they wed and three months before the birth of their first child that he was able to get a transfer to Margate, near to where Mrs Baker was living with her family in Westbrook.

In May 1956, they bought their own home in Belmont Road in Westgate for £800. They still live there to this day.

The couple, who up until recently played golf at North Foreland, have five children together, eight grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and a grandson on the way.

Mrs Baker says she and her husband have never been apart.

"When we go to bed we kiss each other goodnight and in the morning we give each other a kiss and say good morning," she said.

"We do everything together. I think that is what has kept us so happy."

Despite being vulnerable to coronavirus, kind-hearted Mrs Baker says they counts themselves as lucky.

"We have each other - a lot of people are on their own at the moment," she said.

Mr Baker, 92, says living through the Second World War was a "hairy time".

"Being bombed was awful but if my house hadn't been hit I wouldn't have met Ruth," he said.

"The war was a difficult time, different to what's happening now. But we pulled through it and I hope that we will pull through this."

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