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Platinum wedding milestone for Northampton runner, 90

Rob Constantin/BBC Man with short white hair and dark glasses wearing a blue sweater has his arm round a woman wearing a green gilet over a white shirtRob Constantin/BBC
Bob and Thelma Emmerson have enjoyed 70 years together

A man who completed his 500th parkrun event at the age of 90 has reached another impressive milestone.

Bob Emmerson, from Walgrave in Northamptonshire, has celebrated 70 years of marriage to his wife Thelma.

They wrote to one another for 20 months while Bob was on national service before meeting face to face.

They have received a card to mark the occasion from King Charles III, to add to the one sent by his mother to mark their diamond anniversary.

Aaron Chown/PA Media Card showing a picture of the King and Queen. A gold-coloured tassel hangs down from the top left.Aaron Chown/PA Media
The couple have received an anniversary card from King Charles III and Queen Camilla

The couple's story began in 1950, when Bob was completing his national service and about to be posted to Egypt.

He said: "I met a guy from Northampton. He gave me the address of his next-door neighbour, which was a nice young girl called Thelma Partridge.

"I did drop her a line, and, when I got to Egypt about three weeks later, the postman came and there was a letter from Thelma. I'd almost forgotten about it."

Knocked on door

Bob replied immediately with a photograph of himself and they continued to write to each other and swap photographs for the next 20 months.

Michelle Lewis / Northampton parkrun Bob Emmerson after his 350th parkrunMichelle Lewis / Northampton parkrun
Mr Emmerson started taking part in the weekly timed 5km (3.1-mile) events 11 years ago after hearing about his local event on BBC Radio Northamptonshire

When his two years of national service came to an end, he took a train to Northampton and a bus to Kingsthorpe, where he knocked on Thelma's door.

"Her brother came to the door, and he said 'Thelma, there's a soldier here to see you', and that's the first time we'd ever met," he recalled.

After courting for six months, they married in Kingsthorpe in the coronation year of 1953, with a reception in the church hall. Bob went on his annual national service camp the day after the wedding, and Thelma was back at work a day after that.

Northampton Parkrun ManNorthampton Parkrun
Bob Emmerson completed his 500th park run in September

Talking to BBC Radio Northampton, Thelma insisted that, after 70 years of marriage, Bob had no annoying habits.

Bob said: "There's only one problem with Thelma. We get all ready to come [here] and then she realises she wants to do something like have a little wash, or comb her hair. I'm sitting in the car, waiting."

"She does make a lovely apple tart," he added.

Parkrun is a free-of-charge timed run, taking place at 09:00 every Saturday at locations across the world. Bob completed his 500th event earlier this year.

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