WARTIME sweethearts who met over a game of tennis are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.

Bill Hoskinson, 89, and his wife, Rene, 83, who live in St Edmund's Close, High Conniscliffe, met at the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Club, in Scarborough, where they were stationed in 1943.

Mr Hoskinson was in the RAF doing pilot training, while his fiancee-to-be was an ATS ambulance driver. Mr Hoskinson was then posted to South Africa, where he trained to fly Hurricanes before being sent to the Far East.

"I was away for two-and-a-half years, but we married within ten days of getting back," said Mr Hoskinson. The couple married on May 4, 1946, in Mrs Hoskinson's home town of Filey.

After the war, Mr Hoskinson, who is originally from Leeds, worked in the box-making trade.

The couple came to Darlington in 1964 to start up a factory on the Faverdale Industrial Estate, which was taken over by Bowater's four years later. Mr Hoskinson retired in 1978 as a regional director.

He was a magistrate in Darlington for 16 years, served as chairman of Sir ED Walker Homes, is a former Rotarian and was president of the Darlington club during its jubilee year.

Mrs Hoskinson delivered meals on wheels for 36 years.

They have three children, Peter, Judy and Kim, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

They held a family party at Headlam Hall, near Gainford, last night and are celebrating with friends tomorrow.