AN 86-year-old former Bishop of Knaresborough has spoken of his joy that he is to marry a former parishioner who was once a teenage member of his church youth group.

The Right Reverend Ralph Emmerson sat clasping the hand of 59-year-old Elizabeth Firth in the grounds of Ripon Cathedral to recount how love blossomed for the two since both were widowed.

Bishop Emmerson and Mrs Firth have known each other for more than 40 years and will marry at Ripon Cathedral on June 16. Mrs Firth was a member of the Bishop's youth group when he was vicar at St Michael's Church, in Headingley, Leeds, and was married by the Bishop, who also baptised three of her four children and confirmed two of them.

Their relationship became deeper just over five years ago.

After meeting up in the mid-1990s, Mrs Firth invited Bishop Emmerson to her home in Horsforth for a meal and cooked him his favourite dish - a fish pie.

Since then the couple have become devoted to each other and admit to having never had a cross word.

Sporting a three-diamond engagement ring, Mrs Firth said: "We were not thinking in terms of romance.

"We did not arrange to fall in love but eventually everything seemed so right.

"We are deliriously happy and looking forward to our big day very much."

The couple plan a honeymoon in the Lake District after next month's wedding, and will then live in Bishop Emmerson's flat on the outskirts of the cathedral grounds.

Bishop Emmerson, currently an assistant Bishop of Ripon, told how he proposed to his bride-to-be only a few weeks ago.

He said: "I told Elizabeth I had a serious question to ask and if she would marry me - and she said yes."