Childhood sweethearts separated for more than half a century are planning their wedding after ‘fate’ brought them back together.

Peter Brown and Lynette Wilsher will finally tie the knot on October 12 - 54 years after they first met at St John’s School in Epping.

The couple, who now live together in Sawyers Chase, Abridge, were re-united when they bumped into each other by chance 18 months ago.

Sixty-five-year-old Peter, who has been married twice before and has six children, said Lynette, 64, has been on his mind for decades.

He said: “When we were both 11 we met at the senior school, St John’s in Epping.

“We went our separate ways after school, but I always thought about her.

“I still remember what she looked like on that first day, with a little coat on, standing there with her satchel.”

Peter said that he had spotted has future wife, who divorced 12 years ago, a few times in the intervening years, but could not pluck up the courage to talk to her and assumed she was in a relationship.

Mr Brown said: “It turns out we never lived more than 15 minutes apart in all that time, but I only saw her a handful of times.

“We started talking again and at Christmas and New Year I asked her for a couple of dances at the club.

“We should have got together years ago, she says if we had, we’d be living in a lovely big house together. I moved into her place when we finally got together, three months ago.

“It doesn’t seem like we only just got together. Someone up there must have been looking down on us, to bring us together.”