In an exclusive revelation, a heartwarming tale of serendipitous love has emerged from Eastbourne, where a chance meeting on a bus in 1976 blossomed into a 46-year marriage. Paula Valder, now 74, recalls the summer day when she handed an invitation to 29-year-old bus driver Les, who bore a striking resemblance to 1960s American singing idol Gene Pitney.
The Fateful Bus Journey
"It was the summer of 1976, I was 24 and working in a jeweller's office by day, as an usherette in a theatre by night, and spent my weekends at drama school," says Paula Valder. Now retired and living with her husband Les, 79, a retired bus driver, in Eastbourne, she continues: "I was always moving between the three and as a result, spent a lot of time on the bus."
Paula, mother to Steven, 49, and Barry Gene, 47, and grandmother to Bertie, 13, and Niamh, 10, explains: "There was one driver who caught my eye, 29-year-old Les. He was the spitting image of Gene Pitney. A total dish. One day I decided to invite him to a party I was throwing that night. I clutched the invitation in my hand and nervously thrust it into his. He didn’t even know my name."
A Surprise Arrival
To Paula's delight, Les showed up at the party that evening. "I’ll always remember his face - it was ‘Tramps & Tarts’ themed, but I hadn’t told Les, who showed up in a suit," she recalls. "He told me afterwards that he’d never have come if I’d let on it was a fancy dress party, so thank heavens I didn’t."
The connection was immediate. When the party ended, Les showed Paula where he lived in Polegate, Eastbourne. Just six weeks after they met, Paula discovered she was pregnant. "I should have been nervous, but something just told me Les was the one. And I was right. Les took me in his arms and told me it was meant to be," she shares.
Building a Life Together
That Christmas, Paula moved in with Les in a small two-up-two-down house. Their son Steven was born the following March, with Barry Gene arriving two years later. The couple married in April 1979 in a little church with a vicar, solidifying their bond.
"I feel so grateful to have met Les on the bus. I truly landed on my feet," Paula reflects. "We’ve shared life's ups and downs together, including the terrifying house fire we had here in 1990, 10 days before Christmas, in which we lost our border collie. It was stroke of luck that we lived on the same road as the fire service."
Facing Challenges with Love
Around three years ago, Les was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's. Paula now looks after him, but she doesn't mind. "He’s looked after me my whole adult life, the children too. He’s always paid the bills," she says. "Our life now is still a happy one, I sing and dance around the kitchen. We have a lot of fun together. He has good days and bad, and it’s hard when he asks me who I am. But I still love him as much as I always have."
Paula often daydreams about their first meeting. "I sometimes daydream about when we first met, and the party invite in my shaking hand. What a stroke of luck Les decided to come along. Love really did strike on the bus."
Les's Perspective
Les adds his own memories: "When Paula handed me the invite I was taken aback. But I thought, it's a boring weekend, nothing much is happening... I may as well go. And I'm glad I did. I thought Paula was beautiful, very friendly. I met thousands of people on the bus - it must have been fate that put us together. We've had our ups and downs, but I love Paula. She's nuts and she takes good care of me."
He retired at 60 and cherishes his time as a bus driver, but notes: "I have such fond memories of my time driving the bus - but none will ever beat the day I met my wife."
A Legacy of Love
In a touching twist, their son Steven has nominated Paula for Stagecoach's Ticket for Life competition, which celebrates love on the move with free bus travel for life as the prize. With Valentine’s Day approaching, the competition highlights stories like Paula and Les's, where a simple bus journey led to a lifetime of commitment.
Readers can vote for the winner on the Stagecoach website before the closing deadline of Thursday 26th February, potentially honoring this enduring love story that began with a nervous handoff on a bus nearly five decades ago.
