ON a pleasant August afternoon in 1967, two sisters from Cirencester walked down the aisle together to become the wives of two brothers also from the town.

Joy and Pearl Chivers were married to Barry and James Hardy, respectively, in All Saints Church, Down Ampney on August 19, 1967.

50 years later, the two couples are still going strong enjoying marital bliss.

Joy told the Standard how she met Barry at the age of 16 in the cinema while watching a Beatles film.

She described that fateful day as “truly brilliant”.

It must have been, as that chance meeting led to a marriage of 50 years and counting – quite the achievement.

When asked how she and Barry, 72, had managed to sustain such a long marriage, Joy, 68, replied: “We listen to each other. And if an argument did happen, we just never let it go on for too long.”

Bad luck transforming into fortunate circumstance brought Pearl and James together.

Following his car breaking down outside the Chivers’ household, James was invited in by Joy and his brother.

A night in the local youth club followed, and the rest is history, with James, now 73, and Pearl hitting it off and falling in love.

Pearl, 70, told the Standard that communication and honesty were the keys to their happy marriage.

“Talking through everything and not hiding anything from each other has kept us together,” she said.