Meet the husband and wife who have proved the doubters wrong to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary — despite a 38 year age gap.
Besotted Edna Martin, 83, and Simon, 45, are often mistaken for grandmother and grandson, but the lovebirds say they don’t care what strangers think.
The couple met when Edna was 69 and Simon was 31, at a concert and say it was ‘love at first sight’.
And now – having been married for 15 years this summer, the pair from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, insist their relationship is going strong.
Speaking to the RealFix podcast – which features real people telling their extraordinary stories in their own words – Enda said: “When you love each other as much as Simon and I, it’s reasonably impossible to keep your hands off each other – let alone other bits of your anatomy.
“We often have a little kiss in the supermarket queue or pinch each other’s bums.
“Most people have a little chuckle or smile. It’s quite sweet really.
“Simon and I both think and feel that there is not enough love in this world – it’s lovely to love someone and be loved and to express that love.”
Simon added: “We’re very lucky we still enjoy a marvellous physical relationship.
“It’s really wonderful that we can express our love publicly – not for other people, but for ourselves.
“It’s very rare to see a couple of any age giving each other a loving pec or showing their affection.”
The pair hadn’t been looking for love, but say they instantly knew there was something there when they saw each other for the first time.
Enda said: “It was love at first sight.
“He came in through the stage door and I gave him a kiss on the cheek – which then ended up as a kiss on the lips.”
Simon added: “It was a mutual thing and it happened simultaneously.
“We both recognised there was something there straight away.
“It sounds like something out of a corny film, but it wasn’t.
“We both literally ran into each other’s arms.”
Simon was living in Birmingham, West Midlands, at the time so the pair embarked on a long-distance relationship at first before moving in together just a few weeks later.
Simon said: “My parents, I think, were a bit surprised. I know they weren’t terribly keen.
“But to be fair to them, they went along with it because they were happy I found somebody.
“I wasn’t looking for someone.”
Enda’s family have been supportive from the outset, and were there to watch the couple wed on July 8, 2005.
Edna said: “My daughter made our wedding cake and my son gave me away.
“He said at the wedding reception: ‘I’ve been wanting to give my mother away all my life and this is the day for it.’
“My son is 57. My grandchildren are more the age that Simon is, but nobody takes any notice.
“The people where we live are very warm and friendly – they’re not very judgmental, not that it’s anyone’s business.”
Simon told the RealFix podcast the pair don’t have to try to keep their marriage exciting.
He said: “We don’t consciously do anything to keep our relationship fresh, it’s just the way we are.
“We share a similar sense of humour.
“I think if you have to do something consciously, you ought to be asking if you’re with the right person.
“We’re always making a little joke about things – we do that all the time.
“We do little gestures.
“If we’re out and we’re parting for whatever reason, we’ll look for little things for each other.
“If we see something, we’ll be thinking of the other one, like: ‘Oh, they’ll like that.’
“Edna likes to do a lot of reading – especially in the bath – and goes through a lot of books so I keep an eye out for books she likes.”
The pair have no regrets about their relationship.
Enda added: “I have no regrets – certainly not.
“I had a perfectly wretched existence for years and years.
“Meeting Simon and being with him has been the happiest time of my entire life.
“To be loved and to love in return is the fulfilment of everyone’s life – it’s a precious thing.
“We hold hands when we’re asleep even.”
Simon has given advice for anyone in an age gap relationship and said: “Just enjoy yourselves.
“Don’t take any notice of what anybody says or what you hear in the media or anything – it’s all rubbish.
“At the end of the day, it’s just about the two of you.”
Listen to the Real Fix podcast here https://www.real-fix.com/real-fix-podcast/ or subscribe using the appropriate podcast platform here https://plnk.to/realfix.