Trainee reporters in 1966 marry 41 years later

Two journalists who first met as trainees on the Hendon Times 41 years ago have married in a Devon village church. Alison Hulls and Gareth Weekes had been ‘just good friends’almost all their lives.

When they joined their first paper in 1966, Alison was already with her future husband Brian Hulls. He went on to become a distinguished BBC war cameraman, but died 11 years ago, aged 48. Alison set Gareth up on a blind date with her Cornish school friend, Diane Rattray – and their marriage lasted 35 years, until Diane died in 2004.

Alison later became district editor of the Chard and Ilminster News and is now editor of Limited Edition magazine in Somerset.

Gareth became editor of the Salisbury Journal and then the Bournemouth Daily Echo before setting up the PR consultancy, Deep South Media.

The bride and groom have five grown-up daughters between them, two of them journalists. Alison’s daughter Poz works for Televisual magazine. Gareth’s daughter Jenna joined the Echo after he left and is now part of the Deep South team.

Nearly 200 family, friends and former colleagues packed into the tiny parish church for an emotional service at Clayhidon, Devon.

Afterwards, Gareth recalled the parties they used to throw in the Hampstead attic flat he and others shared with Alison and Brian in the Sixties, and said: ‘She is just as feisty and fun as she was back then.”