A couple who fell in love 33 years after they first met have just bought a home together at Redrow’s development in Maidstone.

Maidstone-born Glenn Sherman and Terry Ashley, originally from Nottingham, dated for a summer in the late 1970s. A chance encounter a couple of years ago led to their relationship blossoming once more and now they have just moved into their first home.

The house is at The Grange, off Sutton Road, where prices start from £219,995 for a three-bedroom home.

Glenn part-exchanged his previous property to pave the way to a hassle-free move to a four-bedroom detached home.

It meant Redrow effectively acted as his cash buyer and he was delighted by how straightforward the process was.

“The part-exchange process couldn’t have worked out better for us,” he said.

“I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t get the value I was looking for on my previous house, like when you part-exchange a car.

“However, I was really pleased with the valuation and the offer Redrow made. All in all it’s been a great experience from start to finish.”

The couple opted for an Oxford house type from Redrow’s New Heritage Collection.

Glenn added: “We weren’t looking for a new property and, I know it sounds like a cliché, but when we found the house we fell in love with it. We were looking for the best of both worlds and Redrow’s homes had the external features we like but with an interior that is light, spacious and modern. We’ve got a landscaped garden, too, which is just beautiful.

“I know the area well, being a local boy, and south Maidstone is up and coming, with lots of investment happening, so we’re happy to be part of that.”

The couple first met when they were both in the armed forces based in Catterick, North Yorkshire, but had not seen each other for more than 30 years when, by pure chance, Glenn saw Terry had posted on an internet message board.

“I was doing an online security check when I saw she had posted the message asking for old friends to get in touch,” Glenn said.

He did just that and the couple were reconnected and they haven’t looked back.

Glenn said: “It’s been great and the new home is the next step, which we are very much looking forward too.”

Both Glenn, a senior network engineer, and Terry, a workshop manager, now work mainly in and around London, so they are ideally placed for their daily commute.

A high speed rail service from Maidstone West station takes just 48 minutes to reach London St Pancras, running during peak times on weekdays, while Maidstone East station offers journey times to London Victoria or Charing Cross of around an hour.

The Grange development incorporates areas of woodland and open space and is also conveniently close to Mote Park and Maidstone town centre.

For information call 01622 297005, log on to www.redrow.co.uk/thegrange or visit the marketing suite and show homes off Sutton Road open daily from 10am to 5.30pm.