Knaresborough couple celebrating golden anniversary 'still loving and laughing' after 50 years

Peter and Jean Busfield, 72 and 68, first locked eyes as teenagers at a youth club dance at Park Grove Methodist Church in Knaresborough, a stones throw from where the couple live today.

Marrying at All Saints Church at Harewood House on October 12 in 1968, they would share a lifelong love of music and dancing, along with a passion for motor sports that took them across the country.

Having those shared interests is important to a marriage, says Mr and Mrs Busfield.

Mr Busfield said: “It was dancing that brought us together, music and dancing. Its something that has been really important in our lives, and as we got older we then got into motor sports.

“Rallying was the main one, but we also have done hill climbing, production car trials, off-roading with land-drovers.

“If it had a motor on it I’d drive it, with Jean navigating for me.”

Competing in motor sport contests across the country the couple would run under the banner of the Ripon Motor Sports Club.

Starting out as a butcher, under Harry Haywood as a teenager Mr Busfield eventually worked his way up to become a master butcher in 1976. He would later buy the business from Hr Haywood, continuing to trade under his name until opening his last shop, P and J Busfield Butchers, on Harlow Hill. He and Jean would work together at the shop until they retired in the early 2000s.

Peter and Jean became the proud parents of Shelley and Martin in 1976 and 1978, and grandparents to Marcus, 13, Hannah, 6 and Lucas, 4.

Renewing their wedding vows before family and friends earlier this month at St John the Baptist Church. The couple were looking forward to an evening of dancing and music, to celebrate the day.

They also planned to enjoy a second honeymoon - this time to the Canary Islands. They still have very fond memories of their first honeymoon, which saw them visit Scarborough, and stay at Mrs Brown’s Bed and Breakfast in Scarborough.

In anniversary messages to each other Jean said: “We are still loving and laughing, he never stops making me laugh. He is a brilliant man.”

Peter also said: “I love her as much now as I did when I first met her.”