MOST of us know that 50 years of marriage are marked by a golden wedding anniversary, and 60 by a diamond anniversary.

But what precious offering can a couple who have been married for 70 years expect? Newport couple William and Edna Lewis know - because they celebrated their platinum wedding on Tuesday.

The 89-year-olds, of Wisteria Close, Malpas, were married at King Street Chapel, Abertillery, on March 19, 1932 - but only after waking up their minister.

Mr Lewis said: "You had to get married early in the morning then, before work, and the wedding before ours had been cancelled and the minister had gone back to bed.

"He ended up with the best man hammering on his door to get him up and to the church. "We were 12 when we first met."

Mr Lewis went to Newbridge County School, but left to become a miner at Six Bells Colliery, aged just 14.

He said: "I remember the first day that I went down to work with my father in the mine. The manager called me over and said, 'Put your coat on and head on down to the school and ask if they'll take you back'.

"I didn't because I needed to work. I had to go. And during the war, as a miner, I was exempt from the draft but we used to see Bristol taking a hammering."

He left the mine not long before the 1960 explosion that killed 60, and bought a general store at Warm Turn, Aberbeeg, which the couple ran for many years.

They now live in Newport as neighbours to their only daughter, Doreen. Mr Lewis said: "There was a different atmosphere back then. It's a horrible world we're living in now. But we've had a good life and a colourful one.

"People say they've lived together 20 or 30 years and never had a cross word - I don't believe it. There's many times I could have screwed her neck around, but I'm glad I didn't! We always made it up."