A couple who met at a dance when they were both 17 years old have been married exactly 60 years today.

Geoffrey and Margaret Smith first encountered each other at a ceilidh at St Anne’s Social Club, Keighley, in 1944. “There weren’t a lot of other places to go on a Sunday in those days,” said Mr Smith, who later went on to play for Bradford City Football Club.

He and his wife now live in Park Lane, Keighley.

Explaining why their marriage had proved so enduring, Mrs Smith said: “We’ve always been happy and we’ve had a nice relationship.

“We’re interested in similar things and we also worked together for 30 years.

“I went to watch Geoff when he was playing for Bradford City.”

Mr Smith said their long marriage was based on “give and take”.

He was born in Cottingley and began playing football for St Anne’s Church. He worked as a motor mechanic and was called up into the army in 1946.

He served with an infantry unit in Malaya for two years while his future wife worked as a charge hand at Peter Black Ltd.

Following his return they were married at Holy Trinity Church, in Lawkholme Lane.

They had two daughters and today have four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Mr Smith played 253 matches as a goalkeeper for Bradford City between 1953 and 1960. These included 200 consecutive appearances.

When he left the club he and his Keighley-born wife bought and ran an off-licence in Cross Roads for 25 years, then later managed a newsagents in Hainworth Wood Road for another five years. During their retirement they have enjoyed watching football and playing golf and bowls. They have been members of Keighley Golf Club for 50 years.