Wartime sweethearts who first met on a vacuum cleaner factory floor are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary today.

Joan Porter, 89, and husband Len, 93, who live in Banstead, held a platinum wedding anniversary party at the Banstead Centre, in the Horseshoe, on Saturday, to mark the milestone.

Their son Chris Porter said: "They first met at the Goblin factory in Leatherhead in 1940 when Joan was just 16 years old.

Your Local Guardian:

"The Goblin factory produced some of the first vacuum cleaners in the 20s and 30s, but manufactured shell casings, fuses and firing mechanisms during the war.

"Joan and Len were married on August 26, 1944, in Christ Church, Epsom, with the reception held at Joan's mother's house in Tonstall Road.

"The main entertainment was from Len's mother who played the piano and sang songs."

He said his parents have spent most of their lives in Epsom and Ewell.