Meet the couple that married 50 years after getting engaged

London, May 29 (ANI): When John Searle and Maggie Crook got engaged as childhood sweethearts at the age of 18, they would've never thought that it would take them half a century to finally tie the knot.

The couple have married more than 50 years after splitting up as teenagers.

They first met at a life-saving club held at the popular seaside resort's long-closed seafront swimming pool.

They got engaged at 18, but spilt up before they could name the day after their careers caused them to drift apart.

And now, both are 69, and have got married on May 27 more than five decades after vowing to walk down the aisle.

"Being married to Maggie is going to be very nice. We are very happy together. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with my first true love," the Telegraph quoted Searle, a former Royal Marine, as saying.

His new wife said: "It's all been very easy. We knew each other's family from before. It's one of those nice relationships. It's all been very simple and straightforward."

The pair sadly parted ways as teenagers when Maggie went to Canada to work as a nurse, while John carried out national service with the Royal Marines.

But Maggie never forgot her childhood sweetheart, who became a salesman and married twice before he was widowed four years ago. She never married.

The two of them made sure they stayed in touch over the years, rekindled their love in 2007, and revived their wedding plans. (ANI)