A NORTH Yorkshire couple who were childhood sweethearts are today celebrating 60 years of marriage.

Don and Dorothy Kirby, both 81, first met at the age of 12 when they both attended King James’ Grammar School in Knaresborough.

At 21, they married at St John the Baptist Church, in Kirk Hammerton, and went on to live in Pontefract and York, where Mr Kirby joined North Yorkshire Police, becoming an inspector.

They are today celebrating their diamond wedding and are due to hold a party with family and friends at the weekend.

Daughter Sally Turney said: “They are loved and respected such a lot by family and friends. Everyone looks up to them.

“They say the secret to their marriage has been they are not one of a kind – they are quite different people and bounce off one another.”

Mrs Kirby worked for the Yorkshire Evening Press, in Coney Street, and later in libraries, and continues to work for the Royal Voluntary Service delivering books on wheels.

The couple, who now live in Scarborough, have three children, Richard, Neil and Sally, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.