But Jessie and Bert Richardson have just taken their vows for a second time – 73 years after first getting hitched.

Jessie, 95, and Bert, 93, were married in Edinburgh in 1935 and this week renewed their vows at a ceremony in Haddington.

Bert even bought his wife a new ring for the occasion.

Their eldest daughter, Joan, 72, said: "I thought it was a really nice idea. I didn't think my mum would go along with it, but they enjoyed the day very much."

The pair met nearly eight decades ago at Linplum Mansion House on the outskirts of Gifford in East Lothian, where Jessie worked as a nanny and Bert worked as the estate handyman.

Romance blossomed following separate trips to the cinema one afternoon when Bert spotted young Jessie travelling on the same bus and offered to walk her home.

The couple married in a registry office in Edinburgh on October 21, 1935.

For her 95th birthday on Wednesday, Bert bought his wife a new wedding ring.

He explained: "She lost her ring a few months ago so I bought her a new one."

Hearing of his plans to present his wife with the gift, staff at East Fortune House residential home where Mrs Richardson has lived for the last year persuaded them to take things a step further and renew their wedding vows.

Mr Richardson continued: "A nice minister came and blessed Jessie's new ring and gave a ceremony."

Family and friends joined them for the joint birthday and wedding celebration.

"I didn't think I would have to get married again – once was enough," Mrs Richardson joked to nurses at the home, laughing as she admired the new gold wedding band on her ring finger.

The couple now live separately for health reasons, but Mr Richardson stays in a nearby sheltered housing complex and visits his wife every day.

They have four daughters, Joan, Bertha, 70, Jean, 68, and Vivien, 57, and now have eight grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and two great, great grandsons.

Bert was called up to serve in the Second World War in 1940 and served as an engineer in the Royal Air Force while his wife looked after their four daughters.

He served in the RAF for six years before returning to his family in Haddington and later worked as a tool room foreman at the Lemac plant in the town for 22 years.

Asked the secret to a long and happy marriage, Bert said: "Live a nice, quiet life. We have never done anything outstanding, just lived a normal, happy life."

Reverend Anne Jones performed the ceremony at East Fortune House on Wednesday under a floral arch created by staff at the home.

Charge nurse Jill Divine said: "It was lovely. There was family there and some patients and a number of staff even came in on their day off."