The couple met in 1948 at a mutual friend's wedding and were married in June 1949.


Mrs Hancock, who grew up in Wainfleet, said: "We started courting then. He took me to the pictures and then we kept seeing each other."


Mr Hancock, who was born in Spilsby, is well-known in Skegness as 'the donkey man' as he owned more than 70 which he worked all along Skegness beach up to Winthorpe until his retirement in 1989.


Mr Hancock took on his donkeys when he left the army. He was a senior sergeant during the Second World War, enlisted at the age of 18. He was in charge of a flail tank which exploded mines.


But when asked to continue in the army after the war by his boss, his reply was 'I can't sir, I have donkeys waiting for me'!


He met Mrs Hancock soon after and used to ride his bike to see her from Spilsby every night, no matter what the weather, all the way to Wainfleet.


Mrs Hancock worked in Lipton's Grocery Store in Lumley Road, Skegness, and Parker's sweet shop, in Lumley Road, but gave up work a year after they married at Wainfleet All Saints' Church.


They moved to Skegness and had two sons, Steve and Paul, and a daughter, Lesley, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one on the way.


And the secret for such a happy marriage? Mrs Hancock said: "You just have to respect each other, learn to live together, compromise and love each other."


The couple received a card from the Queen congratulating them.

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