'We danced our way to 70 years of marriage'

Contributed/John Devine/BBC A composite image of Victor and Denise Braybrook in 1956 and now. The one on the left is a black and white image of them holding hands at their wedding. They are wearing a suit and a wedding dress. Contributed/John Devine/BBC
Victor and Denise Braybrook pictured on their wedding day in 1956 and at their home in Haddenham in 2026

A couple celebrating 70 years of marriage have revealed that the secret of their long partnership has been music and dancing.

Victor and Denise Braybrook, who live in Haddenham, married in Aldborough Hatch in London in 1956, after meeting at a party when they were teenagers.

Denise, 91, recalls walking down the stairs of her family home in 1951 - at the age of 16 - and hearing the emotional melodies of the Warsaw Concerto, by Richard Addinsell, being played on their piano.

Victor, 93, said: "Denise heard that up in the bedroom and she ran and she fell in love with me as soon as she heard me playing the piano. It didn't matter what it looked like, because she could play the piano as well."

He added: "I'm so thankful that she fell in love with me and she's been such a wonderful wife all these years."

Denise added that she couldn't believe they were already celebrating 70 years together.

Contributed A black and white image of Victor and Denise Braybrook who are standing on a road. Denise is on the left and is holding and looking at an object. Victor is on the right and has a camera around his neck which he is holding.Contributed
The pair spent their honeymoon in Devon

Denise grew up in Dagenham, London, and Victor in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire.

The couple began their lifelong love of dancing when they were 18 and 20, attending ballroom classes.

"We started going to lessons to do ballroom dancing, but then after that it lapsed a bit until we got to about our 40s, and we did dancing lessons properly then," said Victor.

"We used to go on dancing holidays."

Denise added: "I liked any ballroom dancing, waltz, quickstep, foxtrot, anything like that... but I don't think we've done things like the jitterbug."

They both attend a class at the Sutton Royal British Legion Club, near Ely, where they were asked to dance a special anniversary waltz.

Do you have a story suggestion for Cambridgeshire? Contact us below.

Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.