A DUNKIRK veteran and his wife have celebrated 65 years of marriage with a double celebration.

Leslie Slights was today celebrating his 91st birthday, and yesterday he and wife, Jenny, a freeman of York, marked their 65th wedding anniversary.

Mr Slights was born in Shambles, is one of York's few remaining survivors of Dunkirk and worked as a carriagemaker for the railways. Mrs Slights, 86, was a few years ago admitted as a freeman of the city, a hereditary title she holds after the works of her great grandfather for the city.

"I suppose these important things in history have touched our lives in many ways," said Mrs Slights, "but we have also had a very happy time together over the years, we have had a lot of love."

The couple, of Bramley Garth, at Appletree Village, were introduced by Mr Slight's sister, Peggy.

"Peggy had been asking me to write to him as he was away in the Army, and then we met. He said it was love at first sight."

The couple married after two years courtship in 1938, but Mr Slights was in the Army and was sent to France immediately war broke out. The couple have a son and two daughters, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

"We are celebrating our special days with our family and friends, and remembering all our happy times," said Mrs Slights.

Updated: 11:02 Wednesday, October 01, 2003