‘People think he’s my dad – but we couldn’t be happier’

illian Harvey, 39, G from Hertfordshire, fell for her husband Ray when they both taught at the same school. She was 23 and he was 51.

She says: “Sixteen years ago, if anyone had told me that one day I’d marry a man 28 years my senior, I’d have laughed. After all, why would anyone date someone the same age as their dad? But now I couldn’t be happier.

“I’d only had a handful of boyfriends before I met Ray – all of them the same age as me. Then, in 2001, when I was 23, I began teaching at the same school as Ray. I didn’t fancy him, but then eight months later, at an end-of-term bash, we posed for a group photo and when he put his arm around me, I felt a spark. Suddenly, he was all I could think about and, two months later, we were an item.

“My parents weren’t over the moon. They liked Ray, but not that he was closer to their age than mine.

“We married in 2004 and, no one said anything, but we were sure people thought we wouldn’t last. Fifteen years on, though, we’ve proved them wrong. Of course, we’ve had ups and downs. Fertility problems pushed us almost to the brink, but now we have five beautiful children. Ray was 59 when our first was born and 65 when our fifth arrived.

“He’s been complimented for being a ‘fantastic grandad’ and enjoys correcting people and watching their jaws drop! People also assume he’s my dad, but we never get offended.

“We have good chemistry in the bedroom. He may be older, but he’s got good energy when it counts!

“Occasionally, I worry about the future – how I’m likely to survive Ray, or end up being more of a carer than a wife. But the future holds no guarantees. We talk about it from time to time, but we don’t dwell. We just make the most of today.”