Marion and Ken have raised their two children in Huddersfield and now have two grand-daughters.

Although Marion never went back to live in Guernsey they have been frequent visitors to the island to see extended family members.

She wanted to tell her story because she believes it’s important that this episode in history should not be lost.

"There is,’’ says Marion, "very little published or broadcast about our evacuation. The emphasis is usually on the children from London and other large cities.

"All the men of military age who were evacuated from the Channel Islands joined the forces and ours was the only British territory that was occupied by the Germans in the war.

"I don’t want the story to be forgotten – not least because of the friendship and kindness we refugees found in what was, to us, an unknown Yorkshire town.’’

A town that she has called home for nearly 70 years.

"When I first started school here,’’ she says, "the children laughed at my accent. I don’t think people here knew anything at all about the Channel Islands.

"But now, when I go back to Guernsey, they say I sound like a Yorkshirewoman!’’

Wartime Guernsey

Guernsey was invaded on June 30, 1940.

Out of a population of 42,000, as many as 17,000 were evacuated. The first wave of evacuation took place on June 21, just days before the occupation began.

Statesmen from the States of Guernsey (the parliament) were encouraged to remain on the island in order the keep the government functioning as normally as they could.

More than 10,000 Germans were stationed on the island.

Those who remained on the island faced huge food shortages, particularly during the extremely cold winter of 1944.

Major Channel Island newspapers were taken over by the Germans and filled with pro-Nazi propaganda.

On May 9, 1945, British troops landed in St Peter Port, marking the surrender of Germany in the Channel Islands. This is known and celebrated as Liberation Day by islanders.