A COUPLE who met as teenagers while working on a dairy farm have celebrated 72 years of wedded bliss.

Bill Monk, 96, and his wife Lil, 93, of Hawkesbury Road, Canvey, held a party with their neighbours and close friends on Friday.

Bill and Lil met at the tender ages of 17 and 14 respectively, when they were both working at a dairy farm in North London.

Bill filled bottles with milk, while it was Lil's job to wash them. The couple, who have one son, Colin, 64, who lives in Yorkshire, and two grand-daughters, have lived on Canvey for 31 years.

Mr Monk said: "I would have married Lil sooner, but we had to wait until she was 21 and I was 24 because that was the legal age in those days.

"The key to our wedded bliss is we're great friends and we always end up agreeing with each other.

"I think we're the only married couple of our age who live independently on Canvey."

As part of their celebrations, Colin visited Bill and Lil earlier this month and celebrated their anniversary with a special lunch at the Oysterfleet.