A COUPLE who grew up and were married in Skipton have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.

Hubert and Vera Wray, who now live at South Cave near Hull, were married at Christ Church, Skipton, on June 21, 1955.

"It was a rather appropriate place to get married because we met as teenagers at Christ Church Youth Club," said Hubert, who is known as Dan, a nickname he picked up when he was a pupil at Ermysted's Grammar School.

Vera, 81, a former pupil at Skipton Girls' High School, worked at Skipton Building Society for nine years when its office was on the High Street and Dan, 82, went to Leeds University, where he earned a BA and MA in education.

He got a job teaching modern languages in Todmorden where the couple lived for three years. They then spent three years each in Doncaster and Solihull before Dan got a job with Aberdeen County Council, which later became part of Grampian Regional Council. He was deputy director of education there for 28 years.

While in Aberdeen, Vera opened a craft centre business which she ran for 23 years.

After retiring to South Cave in July 1995, the Wrays did some travelling and fell in love the Red Rock National Conservation Area, which is located 17 miles from Las Vegas.

"It's really lovely," said Vera.

Red Rock's impact on the Wrays was apparent and they have been doing volunteer work for the Friends of Red Rock for many years.

Dan said: "We've built trails, removed graffiti, looked after desert tortoises and helped out visitors at the information desk."