B RIAN SYMONS was totally besotted when he first set eyes on Margery Precious and told his friend Gordon, before he had even spoken to her, that she was the woman he was going to marry.

Fifty years on, Brian, 71, is still besotted with his "Precious" Margery, 74, and happily admits: "I love her to bits."

Brian was born and grew up in Torrington and after leaving Bideford Grammar School for boys he started working for North Devon Farmers, training to be an accountant but it wasn't long before he realised that he would much prefer to be a policeman.

In 1956, he joined the police department of the RAF and moved to Wiltshire to undergo training. Three months after training Brian, only aged 17½, passed out as the RAF's youngest corporal and moved to RAF headquarters in London before being posted to Germany.

While Brian was growing up in Torrington, Margery, the woman he would later marry, was enjoying growing up in India where her father was a Lieutenant Colonel attached to the Indian army. Margery has many happy memories of India and the fun she and her Australian friend, Bubbles, had at the Loretta Convent School they attended.

Margery's father took the decision to return to England after the outbreak of the Calcutta riots in 1947 and Margery is convinced that it was the five-week boat trip back to England, which put her off boats forever. "It was a horrendous journey and by the end of it I vowed my next form of travel would be in the air," she said.

It was no doubt Margery's love of aircraft, combined with her distaste for boats helped her decide to join the RAF. As a committed army man, Margery expected some flak from her dad for joining the air force instead of the army, but he was fine. "Dad just wished me good luck and it was mum who took umbrage and didn't speak to me for two years," she said.

After her initial training Margery passed out as a senior aircraftwoman and when most of her friends decided to train as telephonists or batwomen, Margery decided those positions were "too common" and instead decided to join the police.

Like Brian, Margery also passed out as a corporal but with additional promotion exams, she became a sergeant before being posted to Germany where Brian was already serving.

When Brian first saw Margery looking through a hatch into the male mess room he asked Gordon who she was. When Gordon told him that she was their new boss Brian told Gordon that he would marry her one day. After Margery agreed to go out with Brian their romance blossomed but Margery always remained the "boss".

On one occasion when Brian and Gordon decided to buy some whisky for their trip back to the UK Margery lent them some money as they didn't have enough between them for the price of the whisky. Later that evening however, when Margery learnt that Brian had charged a man for drinking in the mess she was incensed because the man in question was a friend of hers.

She asked the station Warrant Officer to search Brian and Gordon's room and when the whisky was discovered they too were charged for being in possession of alcohol.

Brian was impressed with Margery's sense of fairness and was more determined than ever to marry her.

On one particular date, Brian took Margery to see the 1950s crime film, Blue Lamp, featuring Dirk Bogarde. As they watched the film unfold and the hero of the film's life started falling apart, Brian knew he needed Margery to ensure his life would never fall apart and with a most unromantic gesture, which would outrage any modern day woman turned to Margery and said: "Would you like to wash my shirts for the rest of your life?" and Margery simply smiled and said: "Yes."

Later that evening Brian woke Gordon and said: "I can't believe it mate, I've just proposed to Marj."

The next day when the word got out that Brian had proposed, his friends played a radio request — Why by Anthony Newley — for the happy couple and the song has always remained a special tune for them.

Within six months, Brian and Margery had married. As well as giving up her single status Margery had to give up her career for her husband as married women were unable to stay in the RAF back then.

They went on to have five children — Karen, Elaine, Kevin, Joanna and April — and Margery stayed at home to care for the children while Brian left the RAF to become a policeman working in Hull and London. Before retiring Brian also ran a pub in London and worked as a security guard.

Shortly after he retired Margery was diagnosed with multiple system atrophy, a degenerative brain disease that is similar to a mix between Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The children encouraged their parents to return to Torrington because they knew it was a great community and their dad would receive the support he needed to care for Margery.

They moved back to Brian's hometown in 2004 and Margery believes it was the best move they ever made. "I love Torrington and have made lots of great friends, who despite my illness treat me as though I am still normal and healthy," she said.

It might be ironic that Brian now washes his own shirts as well as washing, ironing and cooking for Margery, but he wouldn't have it any other way. "When we married, we married for life and we are still great friends and laugh together every day," he said.

Brian believes the secret to their happy life is having a sense of humour and giving each other the space to be themselves. "I have never smoked but Margery loves to smoke and I love my beer although Margery is not much of a drinker and we have never tried to put a stop to each other's vices," she said.

In June of this year, Brian and Margery celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary surrounded by friends and family with the lyrics of Anthony Newley's Why playing during the celebrations.

Later that evening they were still laughing together as Margery said to Brian: "You told me when we first met that it would probably take you 50 years before I would let you take my bra off and now you are an expert because you have plenty of practice at dressing and undressing me since I became ill." If laughter is the recipe for love, then Brian and Margery have most certainly perfected their recipe over the years.