A Catterick Village couple have an extra reason for remembering the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations this weekend.

Kenneth and Vera Trelfer celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary with daughters Judy and Patricia, son Kenneth, nine grandchildren and one great grandchild yesterday.

"Vera really was the girl next door," said her husband. "She lived just two doors down from me in Sunderland where we both grew up and got our first jobs.''

They were to become engaged when war with Germany threatened. Mrs Trelfer, 79, worked as a nurse while Mr Trelfer, 81, enlisted with the RAF and they married on his return from a year's training in America on May 30, 1942.

Originally assigned to training others to fly, it was 1944 before Mr Trelfer saw action, flying 30 missions over Germany.

After the war they put their energies into teaching, which took them south to Essex where Mrs Trelfer was given a headteacher's position.

She subsequently took a full-time post with the National Union of Teachers in London, frequently speaking on the organisation's behalf on radio and television.

However, the couple decided to return North to be nearer their grown-up children, settling in Catterick Village after their retirement.

Daughter Judy is now a headteacher and magistrate in Stockton, Patricia is a head teacher in Arkengarthdale, and son Kenneth works as a linguist for a company in Northamptonshire