They've beaten the odds! Three couples who married on the same day at the same church celebrate 150 YEARS of marriage

The three couples remained friends and still live in the same town and their marriages endured - and they all met up last week to mark their six decades of marital bliss.
Mrs Smale said: 'We just feel blessed we are still here and able to celebrate.
'I would imagine it is quite unusual for three couples to be celebrating 50 years together, and it is quite a milestone.'

All six were born and raised in the pretty North Devon town of Barnstaple. More after the cut..

Their wedding venue, tiny St Mary's Church, has long since been demolished but the three marriages are all rock solid after 50 years.
Their back-to back nuptials happened partly by chance because the frugal lovebirds wanted to take advantage of a tax break for married couples.
With the financial perk due to run out on April 1 they were forced to book their weddings 

for the same day, with an hour's interval between each service.

50 years on they are still friends and met for a drink last week  to celebrate their anniversaries.
They then held larger celebrations with their own families in the town they love.
Eileen Parsley said: 'We met up and talked about old times in Barnstaple. It was lovely.
'It was very nice because we all come from Barnstaple and we are all born and bred here.
'We just feel blessed we are still here and able to celebrate'.
The longevity of their marriages is remarkable. 

In 1964 one in 12 ended in divorce. Today one in two marriages ends in divorce