“Our arm­­chairs were close together. It made it easy for me to get down on one knee. We didn’t want a long engagement because of our age.”

The pair will wed at All Saints’ on August 25 with dozens of guests expected.

Muriel will be given away by her son Kevin, 52, and Frank’s son Steven, 64, will be best man.

The couple will spend their honeymoon on the south coast before a romantic getaway to the Lake District.