Maureen and Brian Kent, both 72, of Raglan Close, began writing to each other in 1954 despite having never met.

Brian was in Germany with the army when his friend wrote into a magazine on his behalf to answer a letter written by Maureen’s sister, on her behalf.

The correspondence was picked up by the pair and they continued it for a year until they met in Surrey, where Maureen lived, in 1955.

Brian said: “I was on leave and we arranged to meet at Surbiton railway station. Then we took off from there. We kept meeting up and eventually started going out.”

The couple married in 1958 and after a few years living in Surbiton and then Australia, the couple settled in 1970 in Brian’s home town of Castleford.

Brian worked in Castleford as a postman for 23 years while Maureen was a housewife.

The couple will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary on Saturday at Castleford Tigers club with family and friends flying in from across the world.

Brian said: “We are both big Tigers’ fans, so we wanted the party there. We will have about 120 guests including my wife’s nephew from Seattle in America and a niece from Sydney in Australia.”