Lifetime lovers Frank and Anita Milford have reportedly become Britain's longest-married living couple after celebrating their 78th wedding anniversary.

Lifetime lovers Frank and Anita Milford have reportedly become Britain's longest-married living couple after celebrating their 78th wedding anniversary.

The pair met as teenagers at a dance in Plymouth, southern England, in 1926 and married two years later.

Asked for the secret of their enduring union, Frank Milford, 98, a retired dock worker, said: "We don't always see eye to eye and we do have a small argument every day.

"But that comes and goes. We are always here for each other."

His 97-year-old wife added: "The key is give and take and lots of laughter."

With their relationship as strong as ever, the couple hope to beat the record for Britain's longest-ever marriage of 80 years, set by Percy and Florence Arrowsmith. Percy Arrowsmith died last year.

"There's every chance we could break that record," Anita Milford said.

"These days marriages don't last long. A lot of people get married with the idea that if it doesn't work out there's no worry, but we can't understand that."

The couple, who lived in a bungalow in the St Budeaux area of Plymouth until last year when they moved into a nursing home.

Elaine Clarke, a senior care assistant at the Warwick Park Nursing Home, said of the couple: "It is very rare to see something like this. They are always by each other's side."

Anita Milford was in bed for 10 days recently after falling ill and her husband stayed with her the whole time, Clarke said.

"They are still very much in love."

The world's longest marriage on record is 86 years, set by two couples -- Sir Temulji Bhicaji Nariman and Lady Narima in India and were married in 1853 and US couple Lazarus Rowe and Molly Webber, who tied the knot in 1743.

据报道，英国终身伴侣弗兰克和安妮塔·米尔福德夫妇日前度过了78周年结婚纪念日，他们因此成为英国婚龄最长的在世夫妻。

这两个人在1926年英国南部普利茅斯的一次舞会上结识，当时他们才十几岁。两年后，两人结为连理。

当谈及维系婚姻的秘诀时，98岁的退休码头工弗兰克说：“我们的意见并不总是一致，几乎每天都要小吵一下。”

“但是我们很快就会和好。而且我们总会陪伴在彼此身旁。”

97岁的安妮塔补充说：“关键是要相互谦让，多一些笑声也很重要。”

目前英国婚龄最长的是结婚80年的珀西和弗罗伦斯·艾罗史密斯夫妇，可珀西·艾罗史密斯已于去年辞世。米尔福德夫妇的感情久而弥坚，他们希望能够打破80年的婚龄纪录。

安妮塔说：“我们很有希望打破纪录。”

“如今的婚姻都不能长久。很多人抱着‘不成也没什么’的思想结婚，可我们却无法理解。”

这对夫妇一直住在普利茅斯圣布迪由斯地区的一间平房里，直到去年，他们搬进了一个养老院。

沃里克公园疗养院的高级护理助手伊莱恩·克拉克说：“这样的夫妇实在是很少见。他们总是形影不离。”

克拉克说，安妮塔最近因病卧床10天，这段时间，她的丈夫一直陪伴在她的身边。

“他们仍然很相爱。”

世界上有记载的最长婚姻是86年，由两对夫妇创下，他们分别是1853年结婚的印度的特米基·比察基·纳里曼爵士和纳里曼公爵夫人，以及1743年结婚的美国夫妇拉扎勒斯·罗和莫莉·韦伯。

Vocabulary:
see eye to eye: 意见一致

give and take : 互相谦让；交换意见