A COUPLE who met through a lonely hearts column in the Malvern Gazette, a sister paper to your Worcester News, are getting married today – one year after meeting for the very first time.

Railway enthusiasts David Compton and Brenda Cartlidge met after David placed an ad in Two’s Company describing himself as a much-travelled gent in his early 60s looking for someone to enjoy life with. Their romance started Brief Encounter-style on a railway station platform.

Mr Compton, aged 61, from Malvern, travelled to Ledbury – where Mrs Cartlidge then lived – by train and they met for the first time at Ledbury Railway Station before going for a drink at the Trumpet Inn.

According to Mrs Cartlidge, aged 64, a retired nurse, the couple got on famously from the very beginning.

“We just hit it off and we’ve been enjoying ourselves travelling all over the place ever since,” she said.

The couple made visits to steam railways, including the Severn Valley Railway, the North Yorshire Moors Railway and the Forest of Dean Railway because of Mr Compton’s interest in trains, an interest he has had since he was a small boy. “He’s very knowledgable and has visited railways all over the world, in India, China and America,” said Mrs Cartlidge.

The couple now make trips together and have planned a very special delayed honeymoon. In November they are travelling through South America by train, visiting Argentina, Chile and the Andes mountains.

With Mrs Cartlidge recently retired from her job at Ledbury Community Hospital she is looking forward to more time to travel and enjoy life.

Mr Compton worked for the Morgan Motor Company in Malvern for 30 years and now works for a company in Barnards Green.

The couple are getting married at the Council House in Malvern surrounded by family and friends, including Mrs Cartlidge’s daughter and grandchildren, Mr Compton’s friends from Morgan and his darts team.

Their wedding reception will be at the Barnards Green Cricket Club.