A STALWART Prudhoe couple who have devoted more than half of their married life to the Royal British Legion have been hailed as heroes.

Owen and Irene Davies have been honoured as Northumberland Local Heroes for their duty to the Prudhoe branch of the Royal British Legion.

The couple, who celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary this year, have been active members for the past 35 years.

Having both served in the Royal Navy – Irene in the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Nursing Service, and Owen serving under Prince Phillip in the Royal Naval Fleet Air Arm between 1951 and 1958 – they felt compelled to join.

Irene (81) said: “I wanted to join because the legion represents all three services – army, navy and air force.

“You couldn’t say that one faction of the armed services won the war, it was all three together.

“So to me it felt right to join.”

Since joining the legion the couple have taken on a variety of roles within the women’s and men’s sections respectively, including standard bearer, county treasurer and social workers.

Even more impressively, Irene has steered the women’s section as branch secretary for the past 29 years – whilst Owen has worked as branch secretary for the men’s section since the 1990s.

And the couple’s hard work and dedication has not gone un-noticed by their fellow branch members and friends.

Legion member, Celia Johnson said: “If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have a Royal British Legion branch in Prudhoe at all.”

Fellow member, Sandra Pattinson, added: “They are the driving force behind it all and they really deserve this award.”

Completely unaware that county representative for the Royal British Legion, David Bell, had nominated them for the award, the couple were astonished when their certificate and award landed on the doormat.

Irene, who also organises the annual Poppy Appeal, said: “We were just totally stunned – we had no idea.

“This award is very important to us; I feel like we have worked for it.”

“We’ve enjoyed our time with the legion; we’ve been on trips abroad taking the standards to Arnhem in Holland and France.

“But it is the friendships we’ve made that have kept us here.

“We’ve made close friends within this branch and all over and everything we do is really a team effort.”