A PAIR of childhood sweethearts from Burnley who lost touch for 80 years have finally tied the knot at the grand old age of 85.

Marian Rudd and Ronald Russell first met when they were pupils together at the Holy Trinity School, Trinity Street, Burnley, in 1921.

Three years later they went their separate ways to attend different schools and that was the last they saw of each other -- until last summer.

Mr Russell, who moved out of the area 50 years ago, has lived in Lincolnshire for the last five years, and was on a weekend visit to Burnley with his son when he spotted a book about the town written by Marian.

"I was over the moon when I saw the book. I couldn't believe it," he said.

After getting her telephone number from the store, he rang her that night and asked her out to dinner.

"I told her I was ringing her from 80 years ago," he said. "We had dinner together and we got on like a house on fire. We held hands all night and it was just such a remarkable occasion. I never ate a thing."

In the eight decades since they last met Ronald married and had one son, but his wife died three years ago. Marian married and had a daughter before splitting with her husband, and went into teaching, becoming headteacher of three Burnley schools -- Wood Top, Rose Grove Infants School, and Cold Clough Infants School, where she saw out her career.

Since meeting up again romance has blossomed and the couple have commuted to see each other once a fortnight.

In October last year they went on holiday to Guernsey, and in March they spent three weeks in Malta together.

"It was lovely to meet up again," said Marian.

Eventually the pair decided to get married and they tied the knot in All Saints' Church, Upton, Lincolnshire.

"I can't remember popping any question," said Ronald. "We just said shall we get married, and we both said yes, so we did."

Their remarkable story caught the hearts of residents in the little Lincolnshire village who turned out in force to see the couple make their vows in front of Ronald's son, who was his best man, and Marian's proud daughter, who gave her away.

"They are both very very pleased," said Ronald. "But they can't really object because it was her daughter who suggested Marian put her maiden name on the book and it was my son who picked it up, so we will blame it on them."

"It's a happy little story," said Marian. "He's really so kind and so good to me. I little thought when I answered the phone that Friday evening that it would end up here. It just came as we went along."

"She was my little Marian then and she's still my little Marian now," said Ronald.

Marian's book, Looking Back on a Lifetime in Burnley, published by Hudson History, is available from bookstores in the town, priced £3.