A COUPLE who first met each other as children in a Sunday School class have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

John and Esther Forster, both 86, of Sacriston, County Durham, marked their blue sapphire anniversary at the weekend - and are looking forward to a family treat at Chester-le-Street's Lumley Castle.

Mr Forster said: "We met at the Salvation Army Sunday School, and knew each other well as children in the village."

Romance blossomed on a visit to Durham, when Mr Forster was walking down the road with a friend and Esther asked for a sweet.

Mr Forster said: "From there, we walked down the river bank eating chocolate. A tuppence could buy you a lot of chocolate in those days. We haven't looked back since."

After marrying at the beginning of the Second World War, the couple saw very little of each other over the next six years.

Mr Forster, who went to serve with the Newcastle Field Ambulance unit, was in the North African desert when he was taken prisoner - only to be returned over two years later when a PoW exchange was agreed with the Italian government.

He later joined the Allies in France after D-Day, returning to the North after the war to work down the pit.

Mr Forster said: "After the separations of the war, we have made the best of every moment we have been together."

He said when he had gone to look for a blue sapphire anniversary card, he couldn't find a shop that stocked any.

He said: "I said to staff in the last shop I would be back to get one when we celebrate our 70th anniversary."

The couple have three children - John, Kathleen and Eric - four grandchildren and five great grandchildren