A COUPLE who met and fell in love in a sheltered housing scheme have married.

Dennis Woodhall, 89, and Shirley Blackford, 67, are both widowed and were introduced at the extra care housing premises at Norton Court, Hayne Road, Beckenham, where they both live.

After getting married at St. George's Parish Church in Beckenham High Street, complete with a choir, they held the reception at the Affinity Sutton-owned facility.

Dennis said: "I asked her to marry me the first day we met.

"I just enjoy making her happy."

The widower, who fought in the Second World War, has been packing his things so he can move into her flat after the wedding.

Shirley has a similarly good memory of their first encounter.

She said: "I remember the day we met and exactly where we were sitting.

"We've been keeping each other company since then and we make each other laugh.

"Luckily we haven't been hitting each other with saucepans yet."

Norton Court manager Alison Sapsford said Dennis had been so keen to walk down the aisle unaided, he started practising going out without his mobility scooter.

She said: "Dennis used to need a lot more help getting around but now he's bombing all over the place.

"I can't believe the lease of life the wedding has given both of them."

After being helped by Norton Court staff with finding the perfect dress, the bride kept tight-lipped about what it's like.

To throw friends off the scent, she dropped hints about walking down in the aisle in a mini-shirt, trousers and even her birthday suit.

Seventy-year old Georgina Day, a friend of Shirley's from Norton Court, also celebrated being a bridesmaid for the first time.