Watch moment Yorkshire nurses meet up 60 years to the day after they began training together

But they never imagined that 60 years later to the day that 17 of them would meet for a catch-up.

Ann Sharpe, 80 just a few days ago, was overwhelmed to see her friends again. “It doesn’t seem like 60 years ago,” she said.

“We just met and chatted like we did back then. It makes you wonder where all those years went!

"It is wonderful to see so many old friends. We are all now in our 70s and 80s but it doesn’t feel that way today. We are young again.”

Mrs Sharpe, who lives near Wakefield, said it was fantastic to be in the same room they used to use back in their training days because it brought back so many lovely memories.

The 31 young nursing apprentices began their career in what is now Spire Leeds Hospital. That was in 1964 and the site has now been taken over by Spire.

The women gathered for their 60 year reunion lunch in the Roundhay Hall area of the hospital, meeting in the same room they once dined in 60 years ago.

Aged 18 to 21, the nurses began their careers at Roundhay Hall when it was the Leeds General Infirmary preliminary nursing school, where they would live in and train, before going on to pursuing their careers at the Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust.

The women had some fantastic stories to tell, with one travelling all the way from Washington in the United States,

Due to the declining health of the ex-nurses, this is expected to be their final reunion.

Another of the nurses, Connie Fenwick, 78, said: “It’s amazing that we have so many of us here. There are one or two that we have never managed to trace but to have so many back here is fabulous.

"Some have travelled a long way to be here which shows how important it is to us. I live near Otley now but I did travel with my husband who was a doctor.

"It was quite easy to trace us all. Everyone knew someone and before we knew where we were we were all here together.”

The event was a joint effort between the women and Spire. Spire say the room holds a lot of history and many patients can recall its history.

Lindsay Mutyavaviri, Director of Clinical Services at Spire Leeds Hospital said: “As a hospital, we’ve been incredibly proud to host the class of 1964 nurses today, offering a great opportunity to recognise the commitment these ladies made to the nursing profession.

"It was wonderful to hear stories of their time at the preliminary nursing school, before it was developed into Spire Leeds as it is today.

"Theres been a great energy amongst our current colleagues, who were given insight into the changing times of healthcare.”