A husband and a wife died within two days of each other after being married for 62 years, Italian media report.

Rosalia Fascella, 94, died in her own bed on 28 April, and her husband Giuseppe, 99, who was already fragile from a health point of view, refused to eat from there onwards, dying two days later.

“Many promise to love each other for life, they managed to do it,” their only son, Antonio, told Italian media.

“My mother’s health worsened and my father realised what was happening and let himself go too,” he said. “It was like an aeroplane in freefall.”

The two, born in Sicily, moved to Modena to be close to their son. A funeral was held for both and they were buried together.