AN Utley couple celebrated 60 years of married life earlier this month.

Retired teachers Alan John Morten and Sidella Morten, of Greenhead Drive, had their diamond wedding anniversary on October 4.

Mr Morten, 83, is originally from Denton, in Manchester, while his wife comes from Stockport.

They first met at the Liberal Club in Cambridge in 1955 and married in 1958 at Horncastle, in Lincolnshire.

At the time, Mr Morten was in the Royal Air Force. He left the military at the rank of flight lieutenant.

The couple moved to Halifax in 1961 where they both taught at schools before moving to Utley, Keighley, in 1969.

From 1967 Mr Morten worked at Greenhead Grammar School, retiring in 1997. He taught geography at Greenhead for 30 years, becoming head of Humanities.

During his long career in education he was principal examiner in Yorkshire, Manchester, Cambridge and Bristol.

Mrs Morten, 81, worked at Skipton's Aireville Secondary School as an English teacher until she also retired in 1997.

She was one of the first members of the Union of Women's Teachers, and the group's first full president from 1969 to 1970.

Outside of work, the couple both played bridge at Keighley Bridge Club and were members of Keighley Rotary Club. Mrs Morten served as president of Keighley Rotary Club in 2006-7.