FORMER Miss York contestant Olga Shepherdson has revealed how she went for a date with Roy Orbison in the plush surroundings of York Railway Station caf.

The 63-year-old, who runs Olga's Guesthouse in Wenlock Terrace, York, met the "Big O" while handing out programmes publicising his show at The Rialto in 1961.

"He asked me to go out for a date with him after the performance, but the only place you could get something to eat in York at 11pm in those days was the station.

"We got a taxi there and he bought me a cup of coffee and a sausage roll.

"I got a kiss off him and he was really, really nice."

Olga told the Diary she welcomed the return of the Miss York competition, due to take place later this year, although she also said she was "practically forced" to enter the contest herself in the 1960s, because of a shortage of entrants.

"I was a bobby dazzler in those days," she said.

"I've always liked beauty competitions and still like to admire a pretty girl and a nice figure."

Olga said one of her biggest regrets was giving away her autograph book, which contained a host of famous names who performed at The Rialto, including The Beatles and Dusty Springfield.

BY ALL accounts it was the wedding of the year, a highly colourful event.

In fact we are reliably informed that Burnby Hall Gardens at Pocklington had never seen anything like it.

The bridegroom overshadowed the bride in almost every way: He was the one looking like an oversized Jaffa, decked out in a bright orange suite with a gay, orange floral tie. And he was the one who was late - half an hour to be precise.

But even then the registrar would not let the ceremony proceed until he had been walked round the grounds to sober up (bet his speech afterwards was a belter).

After a lavish reception of tuna butties, the toast to the bride and groom was performed with empty glasses because there was no wine.

And so to bed for the delirious couple.

Unfortunately the gaggle of York pub regulars who piled in as their guests were just as colourful as the groom and were intent on mischief.

They got hold of the Feathers Hotel's 'bridal suite' keys and decided to help get the marriage off to a riotous start, sprinkling cornflakes in the wedding bed and covering lavatory, cups and teapot with drum-tight, invisible cling film.

Laugh? The bridegroom thought his trousers would never dry.

GREENTHUMB Lawn Treatment Service must be getting desperate - or have money to burn.

Surely only desperation or wastefulness could be the reason behind the company leafleting the terraced streets off Heslington Road this week, which have no front gardens and yards at the back.

Maybe someone has a turfed roof or some window boxes hidden away? As this area has two Green Party councillors, maybe they would like to complain to the company about all the trees used in the glossy leaflets?

To add to the irony, on the same day Green Party letters were also sent out to the same area - in reused envelopes and using second class stamps.

Updated: 08:49 Tuesday, March 22, 2005