英98岁夫妇离婚 成世界年龄最大离婚者

British couple Bertie and Jessie Wood have become the oldest couple in the world to divorce – aged 98.

The pair ended their 36-year marriage when they were both two years away from their 100th birthdays.

They got married in Elstree, Hertfordshire, in 1972, having both ended previous marriages, before moving to Falmouth Cornwall four years later.

However, by 2008, when they were both aged 97, their relationship faltered and a decree absolute is believed to have been granted subsequently.

According to neighbours of the former couple, Mrs Wood now lives in a care home. Mr Wood died shortly before he turned 99.

Mrs Wood's daughter Pauline Rowe, 65, refused to discuss the split. “It's too hurtful to talk about,” she told the News of The World.

Terence Wood, Mr Wood's son from his first marriage, also refused to comment on the divorce.

In Devon last month, a couple married at the combined age of 181 to become Britain's oldest newly-weds.

Les Atwell, 94, and Sheila Walsh, 87, married in a ceremony attended by family and friends. They met four years ago, introduced by Mr Atwell's cleaner.

His new wife explained: “His cleaner told me about Les and I thought he sounded nice but then she told me he's 90 and I thought "oh no, I'm not so sure".

“But when we met, that was it. It was love at first sight.”

The couple, who live in Paignton, went on a two week Mediterranean cruise for their honeymoon, stopping off in Athens, Rome and Barcelona.

The world record is held by French couple Francois Fernandez, then 96, and Madeleine Francineau, then 94, who married in 2002.

英国的伯蒂和杰西•伍德夫妇竟在98岁时闹起了离婚，成为世界上年龄最大的离婚者。

这对夫妇结束了他们长达36年的婚姻，而他们二人再过两年就都100岁了。

1972年，两人在结束各自的前一段婚姻后，在赫特福德郡的埃尔斯特里结婚。四年后他们搬至康沃尔郡的法尔茅斯镇生活。

然而，2008年，在两人都已是97岁高龄的时候，竟出现了感情危机。后来（在他们98岁时），他们的离婚判决生效。

据这对离婚夫妇的邻居们说，伍德太太现在住在一家养老院里，而伍德先生已在99岁生日前夕去世。

伍德太太65岁的女儿宝琳•罗拒绝谈论这件事。她告诉《世界新闻》说：“说这件事太令人伤心。”

伍德先生和前妻所生的儿子特伦斯•伍德也拒绝对他们离婚这件事进行评论。

上月，德文岛的一对年龄加起来有181岁的夫妇结婚，成为英国年龄最大的新婚夫妇。

94岁的雷斯•艾特威尔和87岁的希拉•沃什在亲友的见证下喜结连理。艾特威尔先生的清洁工四年前介绍他们二人相识。

新娘希拉说：“他的清洁工和我说起雷斯，我觉得他很不错，但当她告诉我他已经90岁时，我想‘哦不行，我还得再考虑考虑’。

“不过当我们见了面，一切疑虑都打消了。这就是一见钟情。”

这对夫妇目前生活在佩恩顿。他们已踏上为期两周的地中海航游蜜月之旅，途中将停靠雅典、罗马和巴塞罗那。

目前“世界年龄最大的结婚者”纪录保持者是法国夫妇弗兰科斯•费南德兹和玛德莱娜•弗兰西妮奥。两人于2002年结婚时，费南德兹96岁，弗兰西妮奥94岁。

Vocabulary:

decree absolute: the final decree in divorce proceedings, which leaves the parties free to remarry 离婚绝对判令

stop off: to halt and call somewhere, as on a visit or errand, esp en route to another place 中途停留