Chris and Marie Perkins live, sleep and work together every second of each day, and have so far managed not to throttle each other. Liz Weafer found out how they cope managing their own restaurant business in Minchinhampton.

HISANDHERS is a tiny, homely restaurant painted a warm, sunshine orange, lit up by fairy lights covering the ceiling and candles running along the walls.

My stomach starts to rumble the moment I step through the door - two sumptuous quiches fresh from the oven sit on the counter and cakes cover every available surface.

A little table placed strategically at the entrance displaying plates of home-made scones, tea cakes, victoria sponge and flap jacks greets you as you walk in.

As I approach the counter I am tempted by freshly baked bread, grapes and a huge wine rack piled high with bottles.

It has a cosy, safe feel - there is even a cute little teddy bear propped up against the wall.

I speak mostly to Marie, but Chris will occasionally pipe up from the kitchen while he busily prepares vegetables.

Marie, who I sense is a little nervous, tentatively asks me what I want to know - my first question is how on earth do they cope living and working together?

"We do snap at each other when we're stressed," she says.

"But what happens at work stays at work and we don't let it affect our relationship.

"I know what he's thinking and I know when I'm in trouble - Chris only has to look at me and I know.

"I couldn't imagine working with anybody ese - when everything goes right it is extra special because we have achieved it together."

The couple, from the West Midlands, met while working at the Barrons Court Hotel in Walsall Wood 17 years ago, and moved to Minchinhampton a year later.

"We met over a hot plate," hollers Chris, 35, from the kitchen.

"I took Marie swimming on our first date."

"It was the only place we could find to go to in between shifts," explains Marie, also 35, by way of explanation.

"It was a bit embarrassing really, having to spend your first date in a swimming costume."

The differences between Chris and Marie are obvious, but as a team they work perfectly together.

Marie is a shy woman with a soft voice while Chris is the fiery, no-nonsense chef.

"He is very much in charge," says Marie.

"He lays the law down and says no, whereas I can't - he has to be firm because I haven't got it in me to do it.

"People would run all over me if he wasn't here.

"I always find a middle ground, if we can't do somethig I say 'no, but we can do this.'"

They regularly organise themed nights at the restaurant, including Hungarian and Spanish nights, fun in the sun and wacky races, which were inspired by their kittens Molly and Buttons.

"We got so fed up with throwing the ball for the cats that Chris bought a car for them to chase, and when he was playing with them he just came up with the idea.

Diners can sometimes enjoy a slap-up meal in between racing remote controlled cars around the wooden floor of the restaurant.

When Marie kindly offers me a lift home I am rather surprised to see her putting a still warm roast dinner on the back seat of the car.

I think for a fleeting moment that it might be for me until she asks do I mind if we make a slight detour .

"Its for a customer we've known a very long time and he's ill at the moment, so we take food round as a favour," she said.

What other restaurant offers meals on wheels?