A DUNDEE couple who began a wartime romance by mail and became engaged without meeting have celebrated 60 years of marriage.

Joseph (86) and Lily Carroll (85) received a signed picture from the Queen.

The couple, from Mill O’Mains, struck up a friendship by chance during the second world war.

“My sister was writing to Joe’s friend in the army and he wasn’t getting any letters at all,” said Mrs Carroll, who is originally from Birmingham.

“She asked me to find him a pen pal.

“I decided to write to him and we struck up a lovely friendship.

“We wrote to each other and sent pictures for four years.

“Joe asked me to marry him, even though we’d never met in person.

“He sent me money for an engagement ring.”

After spending a year in Greece after the war, Mr Carroll, who was an artificer responsible for the upkeep of small arms, came home to Dundee to be joined by his future bride, who moved to the city from Birmingham.

The couple married at Dundee Registrar’s in 1946.

“I know we didn’t meet before we got engaged but I just knew he was the one,” said Mrs Carroll.

“We liked each other immediately and fell in love.

“We’ve had a good life and been very happy.”

The couple have two grown-up children, Stephen and Marilyn, and three grandchildren.