A FORMER editor of the Darwen News recalled his time on the newspaper as he celebrated his diamond wedding anniversary.

Crawford White, now living in Woking, Surrey, remembers the town as the place where he began his sports reporting career.

A keen and successful cricketer, he held his post as Darwen News editor until the Second World War, when he joined the RAF.

He married Dorothy, the daughter of the town's medical officer of health, in Glasgow, in honour of his Scottish roots.

During the '30s, Crawford played for Darwen Cricket Club and was on the team for their Ribblesdale League Championship victory in 1934.

His also played at a county level and had many successes as part of the Lancashire team.

Many of Crawford's nephews and nieces still live in Darwen and the 85-year-old regularly makes the long journey up north to watch his former cricket team play.

"I still love to watch Darwen play cricket," he said. "And I still feel a strong connection with the town. I didn't return to Darwen after the war because I was offered a job on the News Chronicle, one of the main Fleet Street newspapers of the time.

"When the Chronicle was taken over by the Daily Mail, I moved onto the Daily Express as a sports writer."

And the secret of a long marriage? "One of my nephews says I am the youngest old man he has ever seen," said Crawford.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.