A Yeadon couple have real cause to celebrate tomorrow as they reach their diamond anniversary.

Kenneth and Annie Rhodes of Cemetery Lane will have been married for an impressive 60 years and say they are as happy now as they were back in 1943.

Kenneth, who was 81 last Sunday, puts the success of their marriage down to consideration of each other.

He said: "We have never had any trouble really.

"You have your arguments don't you? But you just have to think about the other person. It's about helping each other really."

Annie was born in Yeadon and Kenneth moved there when he was 13. The two met while Kenneth was playing football.

Kenneth was 16-years-old and Annie was just 17.

Kenneth said: "My friend kept talking about this girl, so I said 'bring her up to training and I'll meet her.'"

Annie, now 81, said: "I thought he was smashing.

"In them days you didn't do the things they do today.

"We were more like mates really. We got to know each other more than young people do today - now they just jump into bed with each other.

"We courted for four or five years before we married." The pair spend as much time as they can together and in the last 60 years have only been separated by the war when Kenneth was in the RAF.

Annie said: "He didn't like being away and was always sneaking home." Now the two are only apart when Kenneth plays golf.

He said: "I still play twice a week though only 15 holes now."

Annie said: "He always rings me when he's finished so I always know he's coming back to me."

The couple have two children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Kenneth and his son Michael ran Rhodes Coaches -a successful firm of service buses and coaches - until Kenneth retired at the age of 72.

Annie said: "The only work we do now is the odd bit of babysitting.

"But now we are great-grandparents, they look after us."

Kenneth and Annie were married in St Joseph's church in Cragg Wood.

Now the couple are looking forward to celebrating their many years together with a family meal at the Chevin Country Park Hotel.

Annie said: "I'm spoilt really. I have a nice family and I wouldn't swap Ken for the world."