Old romantic Mark Dunning has serenaded his way to the heart of a former nurse.
The retired publican won her affection after crooning gently down the phone.
Tomorrow at the age of 91 Mark will marry '70-plus' Mary Storey at Keighley Shared Parish Church.
Mark and Mary met at The Oaks resource centre on Oakworth Road, a year ago. "She kept looking at me," says Mark.
The couple have dated for six months and been away together twice, including a trip to Llangollen for Christmas.
He proposed at Mary's flat off Halifax Road. Mary says: "He said 'we'll have to get wed' - he got fed up of paying the taxi fare to my flat."
But Mark is a romantic. "He's a really lovely singer and he sings romantic songs on the phone," enthuses Mary.
And after they are married, he says he will sing to her every night before they go to bed.
He used to sing professionally in Keighley venues before he became a publican. The Great Northern in Ingrow was his last pub, but he had four others in the area.
He worked as an engineer in Steeton during the war. Mary was a Manorlands nurse for ten years.
Both have been widowed.
Mark has a daughter, one grand daughter and three great grandchildren.
Mary's daughter died four years ago.
Her 50-year-old son is giving her away tomorrow, and one of her two grandchildren is a bridesmaid.
Best man is Dennis Clough, Mark's social services carer.
Mark plans to wear a grey suit and Mary has bought a long burgundy dress for the occasion.
The couple will move to Mary's flat the next day, but plan to find 'bigger accommodation.'
"We're two silly old devils - a pair and we're both to blame," says Mark.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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