I first met Jackie, in about 1960/61, when our families moved into Amwell Grove and we were living next door to each other. As youngsters we used the garden fence, between our homes, as a net to play various bat and ball games, often losing the ball under her garden shed.

As we grew older she developed a love for West Bromwich Albion, which no one understood, except perhaps me and I'm not saying anything!

In our late teens early twenties, we would often go out for drinks with my mates from KIngs Heath Tech, one of which was Dave and while I was away at college their friendship developed and I was honoured to be their best man at their wedding. Our families stayed close over the following years with our sons growing up together.