A BARNET couple who lived through the Second World War had a double celebration last Tuesday to mark their 70th wedding anniversary and a victory over cancer.

To help mark the day, Winifred, 91, and Leonard Clucas, 94, received a telegram from the Queen and a visit from the deputy mayor of Barnet, Councillor Lisa Rutter.

They have lived in the same house on Ryhope Road, New Southgate, since their wedding day on August 10, 1940, at St Mary’s Church, in Hendon.

On their big day her brother had to stop traffic and hail them a lift to the church after her own wedding car was involved in an accident.

“I am feeling absolutely marvellous,” Winifred said on Tuesday. “On our cards to each other, we wrote, ‘we’ve made it’.”

Around three years ago, Leonard had a serious lung infection and lost the use of his legs, but he has steadily improved with treatment and can get around with some help.

It was while he was receiving treatment for this condition last year that doctors discovered he had throat cancer, and he had to undergo 15 bouts of radiotherapy.

Last week, when he was given the all clear by doctors at Barnet Hospital, Winifred, who had also helped to nurse him, said she was very relieved.

“I went up to one of the nurses, laid my hand on hers and said, ‘thank-you’,” she said.

The couple met at Bush House, on the Strand, in 1936 where they both worked, Leonard as a maintenance man and Winifred in the restaurant.

Their first date was at a car race and four years later they got engaged.

Leonard was drafted into the war in 1939 as an RAF armourer, arming and disarming the fighter planes, and served in France, Burma and India.

Soon after the wedding he returned to the war, leaving Winifred, who also worked in an aircraft factory, while her mum cared for their daughter, Anne, at home.

The back of their house also suffered damage from landmines, prompting them to get away to Birmingham, but they came back because Winifred was missing home.

After Leonard’s return from the war in 1945, they had their second child, Paul, in 1953 and now they have five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

On the secret to their long and happy marriage, Leonard said: “We made the best job of it and just got on with life.