Two penfriends from opposite sides of the English Channel have met again to celebrate a friendship which has lasted more than 50 years.

Barbara Pearson and Marianne Dudillieu started writing to each other in the hours leading up to VE Day on May 8, 1945. Since that day they have kept in touch regularly, with Barbara writing letters in French and Marianne replying in English.

Barbara, 65, of Castle Road, was a pupil at Keighley Girls' Grammar School when one of her teachers, Miss Firth, pinned a list of French girls' names on the wall.

Pupils were encouraged to pick a name at random and write to the girl in France, the young Barbara Taylor picking a girl called Marianne Chenebault.

Barbara says: "At first we were writing to each other every week. When we became young mothers we didn't write as often, but we still kept in touch. We have both had other penfriends over the years but haven't really kept in touch with them. Marianne is the only one I have kept in contact with.

"I think the reason we have stayed friends for such a long time is that we have such a lot of things in common. It is a chemistry between us which means we have a lot of things to exchange."

The two first met in France during 1958, with Marianne making her first visit to Keighley in 1976. Marianne flew into Yorkshire last week from her home in the Loire valley, accompanied by her friend Roger Lejarre.

Marianne told us: "I have kept all of Barbara's letters including the first postcard she sent, with Cliffe Castle on the front. After I received the postcard of Cliffe Castle I can remember having a dream about it. So it was the first place I visited when I came to Keighley.

"I enjoy visiting the area and seeing all of the places of interest, and it is always nice to see Barbara again."

The two friends have so far visited Hawes, Saltaire and Haworth, which was of particular interest to Marianne because she likes Emily Bront''s novel 'Wuthering Heights' which is set on Haworth Moor.

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