MEETING at a dance has led to 50 years of happy marriage for a Salford Priors couple.

Ray Stanley and his wife, Cherry, both attended schools in Salford Priors and then went on to Alcester Grammar School.

They married in 1955 after meeting at a dance in 1952 at Lifford Hall in Broadway and celeb-rated their golden wedding last week.

The couple married at St Matthew's Church in Salford Priors on Saturday, July 23 while Mr Stanley was on six week's leave from the Army on active service duties in Cyprus.

Both Mr and Mrs Stanley continue to worship at the church today.

Ray spent the last 36 years of his full-time employment in finance and administration with Bomford Turner Ltd and the Bomford Group in Salford Priors.

Cherry worked as a telegraphist and telep-hone exchange operator at Evesham. They were also both directors of the former WH James and son, a coal produce company, which was a family business for 15 years.

They set up home at Fouracres in Salford Priors 48 years ago. The couple have three children and six grandchildren.

Mrs Stanley said: "We've spent the whole weekend with family and close friends celebrating our anniversary and have had a lovely weekend. We've both really enjoyed ourselves."

An anniversary lunch was held at Dumbleton Hall last Saturday and special prayers were said for them in St Matthew's last Sunday.