She always seemed to be the one left on the sidelines.

The boys, it seemed, only had eyes for her friend.

But that all changed on Whit Monday in 1948 when Lea Thomason asked her to dance.

"I was so surprised because Lea was such a handsome man," she said.

"I wondered why he wanted to bother with me but maybe it was because my friend didn't go on that day."

But for Lea there was no comparison - Jean was the one.

"She seemed really nice and I knew she could dance well," said the retired bricklayer. "I knew there was no-one else I wanted to dance with that evening - or ever again."

On Saturday, the couple, who dated for almost two years before getting engaged, celebrated their golden wedding.

Lea had proposed as they strolled through Dunham Park near Jean's family home in Altrincham one Sunday afternoon.

"He didn't get down on one knee or anything like that," said Jean, now 72. "There was no need because we both knew we would get married. Lea just had to suggest it."

Jean was 22 when they wed a year later at Bowdon Congregational Church in Altrincham.

After the service, the couple headed to Morecambe for a few days' honeymoon.

"I wanted to go to Llandudno," said Lea, now 79. "But Jean insisted we go to Morecambe so of course I didn't argue with her.

"The secret to our successful marriage is that I let her do whatever she wanted."

The couple moved to their home in Hayton Street in 1953 after living with Jean's mum for two years.

Since then Jean's been busy, helping out on many organisations, including the over-60s' club and the May Day committee.

"I've always loved going out and about but Lea is much quieter and prefers to stay at home," said Jean, a former magistrate. "He never moaned about me going out all the time, probably because he knew it wouldn't make any difference."