Couple with combined age of 179 become Britain's oldest newlyweds!

London, Nov 28 : A couple with a combined age of 179 have tied the knot to become Britain's oldest newlyweds.

John Dawkins, 89, and his bride Penny Cooper, 90, entered the record books after beating the previous newlyweds by two years.

The couple married at a registry office in Honiton, Devon, after Penny made a romantic leap-year proposal to John on February 29.

Their four children, five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren attended the ceremony, along with the mayor and town crier of the seaside town.

John and Penny met nine years ago at a charity social event in Exeter, Devon, when Dawkins, of Exmouth, Devon, said she was "the most beautiful woman in the room".

John's friends urged him to strike up a relationship following the death of his wife of 46 years, Hazel, and love soon followed.

Both Penny and John had served with the Royal Navy in the Second World War - Penny was a Wren and John was a lieutenant commander with the Navy's Special Reserve.

"It is a wonderful thing to love. It gives me a great amount of pleasure to be with her," the Telegraph quoted Dawkins, as saying.

"Without a shadow of a doubt, I would have been a very grumpy old man if I had not met Penny," Dawkins added.

The record for the oldest newlyweds was previously held by Peggy Clark, 84, and James Mason, 93, who also lived in Devon - they were from Paignton.

ANI