When siblings Jean and Brian met siblings Rita and Brian, love led to a double wedding - and four decades later the family foursome are celebrating joint Ruby wedding anniversaries.

Jean and Brian Dixon are celebrating 40 years of marriage - along with Jean's brother, Brian, and Brian's sister, Rita.

Jean and Brian Dixon and Rita and Brian Vesey are celebrating 40 years of keeping it in the family, with a joint ruby wedding anniversary on July 29.

The two brother and sister pairs, pictured, started dating when they were neighbours in Swainhouse Road, Bradford, back in 1960.

Jean, now 59, had a crush on sophisticated trend-setter Brian, now 64, and when she saw him at the Queen's disco in Idle she made a move.

But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Brian was still hankering after an ex - but three months into the relationship he realised Jean was the one for him.

They decided to court for a couple of years before tying the knot.

Jean became friends with Brian's sister Rita, and one day invited her round to the house.

While they were in the kitchen in burst Brian, Jean's brother, who had been playing football.

Brian, 66, said: "I took one look at Rita and thought- wow, who's that?"

Rita, 63, denies the feeling was mutual but agreed to a date the following Saturday.

But nerves got the better of her.

She said: "I just lost my bottle and the next thing I knew there was a knock at the door and Brian turned up with a bottle of Milk of Magnesia saying 'Well, do you want to go out with me or not?''

Rita said yes and both couples began going steady - but couldn't go for foursomes because only the girls liked dancing.

Brian, Rita's husband, said: "Sadly I couldn't persuade Rita to take an interest in football."

Although they started going out after Brian and Jean, Brian proposed first to Rita.

Jean said: "I remember Rita telling me that my brother had proposed and I thought, that was quick!"

Brian and Jean also agreed to marry and when they considered the cost, a double wedding seemed the most sensible move.

On July 29 1961 both couples tied the knot at St Cuthbert's Church, Swain House, with the brides in identical dresses made by Jean and her mother.

Yesterday the two couples enjoyed a ruby wedding anniversary party, organised by their children, at Idle Working Men's Club. Both couples have four daughters and Jean and Brian also have a son, called Brian.

They have 16 grandchildren between them.

Jean said: "There was only Brian and me in the family and when I married Brian it was like suddenly having a huge family. It is brilliant. We don't live in each other's pockets but have the best of both worlds."