BRITAIN'S oldest newly-weds tied the knot in the residential home where they live, aged 97 and 87 respectively.

Henry Kerr, just three years short of his 100th birthday, and his bride Valerie Berkowitz, 87, have a combined age of 184, The Daily Express said.

They fell in love when Valerie joined Henry's poetry reading circle and the couple discovered they had mutual friends from their time ­living in South Africa. Valerie had been a teacher in Johannesburg, while Henry had managed cinemas.

They tied the knot today in a Jewish ceremony at the Sunridge Court residential home in Golders Green, north London.

Henry proposed to Valerie over a cup of tea. However, he had to wait some time to receive an answer.

Henry said: "She was bewildered and overcome and said she would have to think about it. It became quite a joke. I kept asking her and eventually she said yes."

Valerie said: "These were both long and happy marriages to look back on and it's hard to replace that happy memory."

Sunridge Court manager Pamela Darroux said: "They are very much in love and it has done them a great deal of good."