A MOTHER of seven who married her son’s best friend after falling in love with him when he was 16 is celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary.

Marilyn Buttigieg, 60, met her now-husband William Smith, 31, when her son brought him over after school in June 2006.

Despite a 29-year age gap, the pair from Crawley “naturally gravitated towards each other” and eventually married in April 2009.

While having lost contact with most of their friends and family, the couple say they “would do it all again”.

The Argus: Marilyn Buttigieg, from Crawley, with her husband William Smith Marilyn Buttigieg, from Crawley, with her husband William Smith

Marilyn, who owns a cleaning business in Crawley, said she and William are still “so in love”.

"We're never apart and if we are we miss each other so much. He's my soulmate,” she said.

"We have suffered a lot of hate over the years, and I've been called a paedo but we've always had each other.

"We've stayed true to ourselves and our feelings and that is what matters."

William, a film producer, said: "I knew we had something special. She was and still is my dream woman."

After first meeting, William started helping Marilyn around the house as she was suffering from ME - a long term illness causing tiredness and muscle pain.

The Argus: Marilyn Buttigieg, 60, with her husband William Smith, 31Marilyn Buttigieg, 60, with her husband William Smith, 31

Before long, their friendship turned romantic. But they were both hesitant having already been mocked by their family before they were a couple.

Marilyn, a mother of seven, said she didn’t want more children but didn’t want to stop William from having a family.

"I didn't want to take away William's life," she said. "My family had also already judged us for being friends and thought we were something more before we were.

"I think that made us gravitate towards each other to be honest."

William said: "She quizzed me to make sure I was sure this was what I wanted. I was 100 per cent sure it was."

Marilyn says all but one of her children “disowned her”, while William has also since lost touch with his family.

In February 2009, William proposed, and the couple got married soon after in April the same year, before honeymooning in Gibraltar - where Marilyn is originally from.

William said the pair have struggled with the level of hate over the years.

"People hurl abuse and it's affected my jobs in the past, but it is getting better now,” he said. "And we lost our families too but we are now family.”

Marilyn said despite the abuse, she tells William to kiss her in the street to make a point.

"I've been called a paedo more times than I could remember," she said. "We've been to hell and back and even now we get nails in our tyres.

“But I'm proud of him and our relationship - let them stare if they want to."

The couple are hoping to raise money to make a film about their relationship.