SEVENTY years ago Stella Roberta Little and Norman Attree, both now in their 90s and living in Canada, were married at St Luke's Church Winton.

Born in Bournemouth in 1926, Bobbie, as she was better known, lived with in Parker Road, Winton, with her grandmother and two sisters, Jean and Audrey, and she worked in a jewellery store.

"She met her husband Norman when he was serving in the Merchant Navy based in Poole and tied the knot at the Winton church on August 30 1947," said Maureen Cox from Bournemouth.

"The following year they emigrated to Canada and settled in Victoria B.C. After about a year and a half they decided to make their way back to Eastern Canada and return to the UK and started the long journey by car, stopping at Toronto. With funds running low, they found work and accommodation and settled down for a short term.

"Their first son, Russell, was born in 1951 in Toronto and a couple of years later with an appealing job opportunity working in insurance, they moved from Toronto to eastern Canada and settled down in New Glasgow where their second son, Julian, was born in 1957."

Norman opened his own insurance agency in the late 1950s and by the 1960s they had relocated the business to Novia Scotia and purchased a motel in Yarmouth that they managed along with the insurance agency. A decade later they sold all their business interests and retired.

"Bobbie and Norman kept their dual nationality passports, making frequent visits to Bournemouth and London to see family and friends. They planned to visit the church where they were married for their 70th anniversary but it wasn't to be," said Maureen.