A HUSBAND who recently celebrated his 80th wedding anniversary with his beloved-wife has died at the age of 102.

Jack Bare, of Kendal, married his wife Joan in August 1939 at Kendal Parish church at the age of 22.

They celebrated the special occasion with a wedding breakfast at Dodd’s Cafe, feasting on traditional cold ham and tongue.

Since toasting to their 80th milestone Mr and Mrs Bare had been recognised as Britain’s longest married couple.

The inseparable pair also appeared on television, including ITV’S This Morning programme, and viewers were quick to fall in love with Mr Bare.

Many of those who watched the show were touched when Mr Bare told the presenters he knew it was “love at first sight” after he met his future wife at Kendal Wheelers cycling club 85 years ago.

As keen cyclists, the couple would often do long cycle rides across the county during the weekend.

During the second world war Mr Bare served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and was based in Portsmouth before being dispatched to Italy.

Since the end of the war the couple never spent a day apart.

While they lived in Kendal, Mr Bare, an engineer, worked with Donald Campbell, who was killed in 1967 attempting to break the water-speed record in the ill-fated Bluebird on Coniston Water.

The engineer had helped to make the boat’s rudder.

Aside from his work Mr Bare loved to go swimming, especially in Bassenthwaite.

He was also once crowned the Westmorland county swimming champion.

Before his death, on September 10, the couple recently moved into a care home in Codsall, Staffordshire.

Known in the family as Poppa, Mr Bare is leaving behind his wife Joan, their daughter Gillian Skelton, two granddaughters, Jane and Caroline and four great-grandchildren Toby, 17, Charlotte, 14, Isabel, 12 and Reuben, eight.

The funeral is due to take place on the first week of October at The Redhill Crematorium, Telford.