HUDDERSFIELD people are invited to go speed-dating.

The phenomenon has already taken off in London and the south of England and has slowly crept north.

Now a company formed by a 40-year-old Calderdale woman has organised a speed-dating event in the heart of Huddersfield - and several more are lined up across the north of England.

Speed-dating involves the same number of men and women - often 25 - meeting at an upmarket chic venue.

They spend around three minutes talking to one another face-to-face before moving on to the next person.

At the end of the evening they hand in a dating card, which clearly indicates anyone they would like to see again.

But both the man and the woman must tick they want to see one ano- ther before the organisers exchange the couple's e-mail addresses so they can organise a date themselves.

The company is called Speed Singles and is run by Siobhan Merrion, of Ripponden.

She said: "Speed-dating is a fun, fast evening and gives people the chance to meet lots of people face to face quickly.

"The usual number is 25 men and 25 women, but that can be less which will give more time for that initial meeting."

The one being held at a venue in Huddersfield town centre tomorrow is for people aged 30 to 40.

More details can be found on the internet at www.speedsingles.co.uk

Siobhan added: "I'm aiming to hold one event each month if the demand is there."

She has a masters degree in human resource development and has worked for several large companies.

She decided she had had enough of corporate life and so decided to set up her own speed dating business.

She added: "There are 11.5m single people in the UK - so the demand is there."

A Shepley woman, Sonia Critchlow, recently tried to bring speed dating to Huddersfield but cancelled the sessions when not enough people signed up.

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