A COUPLE who met at a secret RAF radar station have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.

Stan and Lynn Schofield met in Northumberland during the Second World War and kept in touch after Mr Schofield was posted abroad.

They married in Dewsbury in 1948 and moved to Colstan Way, Northallerton, where they still live.

They had two children, Paul and Diane, and have five grandchildren.

When they married and first moved to Northallerton, Mrs Schofield worked for the North Riding Health Authority and her husband worked at County Hall for North Yorkshire County Council's education department.

He went to Wimpole College, Cambridge, for teacher training, and in 1950 started work as a physical education teacher at Allertonshire County Modern School, a role he had for 32 years.

Once their children were older, Mrs Schofield took a course at Darlington College of Art and at one point, she was a member of five art societies.

She still paints and is also writing her memoirs.

Mr Schofield is passionate about sport and was a promising footballer as a youngster. He hoped to play professionally but a wartime injury prevented him doing so.

He is an expert fly fisherman and even wrote a book about it, titled Reflections on the Water.

"The reason we have lived so long is because we have had interests of our own and it has kept us going all the while," said Mrs Schofield, 84.

"I still have many things I want to do before I go. There isn't enough time for what I want to do."

Mr Schofield, also 84, said: "It's important to give and take and have interests that you both accept. It's just accepting each other for what you are."

The couple celebrated their anniversary by going out for a meal with their family and friends.