Two childhood sweethearts are finally set to marry a whole 75 years after they first met.
George Coffin and Irene Lanning, both 89, dated for three years as 14-year-olds when they lived just 200 yards apart.
But after Mr Coffin called time on their relationship they drifted apart and went on to marry different partners, who sadly passed away in recent years.
Mr Coffin and Mrs Lanning, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, finally met again last year after the funeral of a mutual friend, and wasted no time rekindling their romance over a cup of tea.
The grandfather-of-eight popped the question six months later and the happy couple are due to marry later this month.
George Coffin and Irene Lanning, both 89, are getting married 75 years after they first met
The pair from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, dated for three years as 14-year-olds but broke up and went their separate ways
Mr Coffin, a retired production engineer, said: ‘We are both very happy to have found each other again.
‘It’s lovely to have Irene here with me. We can look after each other, and we have so much to catch up on.
‘A good friend of mine had sadly passed away last year, and when I was at the funeral somebody passed on good wishes from Irene.
‘I called her two days later and she invited me over for a cup of tea, and it really just took off from there.
‘It’s been a rollercoaster ride, and I asked her to marry me very quickly. But at our age you can’t afford to hang around.’
Mrs Lanning added: ‘He’s still as handsome as he ever was, and we get on like a house on fire.
‘His hair might be white now, but he has the same smile and sense of humour that I loved when we were younger.
‘It was a wonderful surprise when he called me. I didn’t think he would bother.
They rekindled their relationship after meeting last year at a mutual friend’s funeral. After just six months Mr Coffin proposed. He said: ‘I asked her to marry me very quickly. But at our age you can’t afford to hang around’
‘I picked up the phone and said, “who’s this”, and he replied, “it’s your old boyfriend”.
‘I thought “my goodness, it’s George,” and we carried on chatting for ages.
‘Honestly I never thought we would end up getting married. It’s a fairy tale really.’
Mr Coffin and Mrs Lanning, a former secretary, first met when they were 14 and had just left school. Mr Coffin was working at his dad’s radio shop and used to fix Mrs Lanning’s parents’ wireless.
They began dating as teenagers in 1942 and enjoyed cycling together and spending time in Mr Coffin’s yard, where he would fix radio and she would knit.
However, when they were 17 they went their separate ways after Mrs Lanning claims he ‘gave her the boot’.
The former secretary said: ‘It was George who told me we should end it. My parents really liked him and his parents liked me so I think everyone was upset when it ended.
‘We used to have a great laugh just spending time with each other. He was a very keen cyclist and I would join him on some of the rides, particularly if it was nice and sunny.
Mrs Lanning said: ‘Honestly I never thought we would end up getting married. It’s a fairy tale really’
‘He was always tinkering with radios in his yard, so I would take up a chair and read or do some knitting.
Mr Coffin said: ‘I can’t remember exactly what I thinking. It was a bit daft of me to end it.
‘But I wanted to spread my wings more.’
The pair admit they did not think about each other much in the intervening years, as both got on with their lives.
Mrs Lanning had four grandchildren, and was married twice but lost both husbands, while Mr Coffin was married to his wife Sylvia for 65 years.
Both of their families are happy for them and are looking forward to the wedding.
Mr Coffin says his children have taken over the planning for the ceremony.
He believes he and Mrs Lanning will be much happier living together than apart and they are looking forward to spending the rest of their lives together.
He said: ‘My children are much more savvy about these things as I am, and at nearly 90 I’m not as sharp as I once was.
‘They won’t let me near the planning for fear I’ll muck it up.
‘But it’s lovely to have everyone supporting us and now we can support each other.
‘It’s ironic that we rekindled the magic after a friend’s funeral, but these sorts of stories often happen in funny ways.’