Video: Leeds couple finally tie the knot... after 44 years together

Sally, 82, and Colin, 85, Dunn, marry at St Mary's Church Middleton, Leeds, after 44 years together. Pictures: James Hardisty

But for Sally and Colin Dunn that journey to ‘I do’ took a little longer than most - 44 years in fact.

It was 1972 when the couple met, when Sally, 82, worked behind the bar at Colin’s local, Middleton Social Club.

The pair’s relationship soon “snowballed”, in Sally’s words, and they fell in love.

The couple, who had both come out of previous marriages, soon moved in together with Sally’s four children and they knew they’d found their partner for life.

“We lived as man and wife,” said Colin, 84, “but we were always so busy, looking after the children, or going to Blackpool on holiday.

“All of a sudden the children were growing up and leaving home and it was just me and Sally, so we thought it was finally time to become man and wife.

“But we kept on saying, ‘it’ll be next year, it’ll be next year’... we were happy as we were.”

So the decades rolled on and so did their engagement. But after losing his brother before Christmas, Colin decided 2016 was the year they would finally make it official.

Yesterday, after more than 44 years together bringing up four children, 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, the couple, from Belle Isle, married at St Mary’s Church in Middleton.

Sally said: “It was worth the wait. The day was lovely, even the weather. We had a beautiful cake at the reception but the highlight for me was actually getting married.”

Colin added: “It was marvellous. Everything went like clockwork.”

‘It was about time’

The year was 1972: Leeds United won the FA Cup for the first time, Donny Osmond was singing about Puppy Love and a pint of beer cost 13p.

Sherree McCalla, 48, was four years old when her mum Sally met Colin.

She, like her parents, had been waiting a long time for yesterday to finally arrive.

She said: “We were quite surprised when they said they were finally going to do it.

“But everything about the day was absolutely beautiful.

“The church was packed with people watching them say ‘I do’ - and it was about time!”