It was true love for a young Barbara Hindle, for aged 17 she sought permission from a court to marry her sweetheart Ronald Bushby.

Now tributes have been paid to Mrs Bushby who has died at the age of 86.

She made headlines, when as a young shop worker in Huddersfield, she met her true love in her soldier sweetheart Ronnie at the age of 15.

The courted for two years, before deciding to wed.

But the young couple didn’t reckon on Mrs Bushby’s mother stepping forward to forbid the marriage.

So at the age of 17, she pleaded with Huddersfield magistrates for the right to wed and they agreed.

Her daughter, Debbie Armitage, who works at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, said: “Mum worked at a shop in Huddersfield town centre called Pages, an out-fitters where she did the window dressing.

“My dad saw her in the window and he went in and that’s how they met.

Barbara Bushby, of Crosland Moor

“Mum was 15 at the time and when she was 17 they wanted to get married, but her mum wasn’t happy about that and said so.

“So they went to court to get approval to get married and they did. It was in the Yorkshire Observer and growing up I always remember seeing the newspaper cutting of the story.

“Grandma must have got over it because we went to visit her when I was growing up.”

The young sweethearts defied the critic in Mrs Bushby’s mother, remaining happily married for 38 years until Mr Bushby died aged 58.

They had three children, David, Michael and Debbie, plus 12 grandchildren, which includes six great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

Mrs Bushby, latterly of Crosland Moor, died aged 86 on December 17.