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Growing up in Scunthorpe, Paula became interested in music at the local youth centre. She describes herself as a groupie who would hang around the centre when pop bands were practicing enjoying the atmosphere and the experience.

Her love of music deepened after she met her second husband on a blind date in Doncaster. She says it was a whirlwind romance; they moved in together just three days after they met and were married in five months.

For the following 32 years she was married to a professional musician and all it involved, playing second fiddle to his passion for playing his trumpet on many occasions. Paula wasn't perturbed, she says it's simply the nature of musicians. Her husband Keith loved to play and it had always been a dream of his that one day he would lead his own band. It was a dream that was eventually realised, but there were some interesting stops on the road to achieving that goal.

They opened a successful jazz pub which they later sold for a good profit and were about to invest in another property when Keith received a 'phone call asking him to play his trumpet in Spain. He said he would and within a week they'd packed their bags and moved to the Costa del Sol. It was there he achieved his aim of leading his own band.

Paula continued to support him as she'd always done; booking gigs and making all the necessary arrangements for them to perform. They stayed in Spain for five years and although they had a band, Keith wasn't satisfied with the band's style. They returned to the UK and settled in North Lincolnshire which hadn't been Paula's home for half a life-time. Their lives were transformed not least for Paula who says that returning home put her on the road to losing six stones in weight she'd acquired during her time abroad.

In her early career, Paula was a journalist, firstly in Scunthorpe with the Scunthopre Star and before moving into freelancing for specialist health and beauty magazines. Paula also had an interest in radio and applied for the job ofΜύ station manager at the forthcoming Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ local radio service for 'Humberside'. She didn't get the job. It was the 1960s and the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ thought she wouldn't be able to cope because of her commitment to her young family. Later Paula did make it into radio and appeared on a number of 'phone-ins during her journalism career.

Upon their return to Lincolnshire and musically not finding exactly what he wanted, it was time to get their own band together which they did. The band gathered momentum and things were going well. A week before a large gig planned for the Scunthorpe Baths Hall, tragedy struck and Paula's husband died unexpectedly.

Taking to heart the showbiz maxim, 'the show must go on', Paula decided the band would and should carry on. She took on the roles of managing, promoting and organising the band, evendealing with the pa system which she continues to do today. Paula is constantly busy and organises three bands, one of which includes local dancers from Grimsby who reflect forties and fifties dance styles in their routines.

The band are already busy this year and have been in Immingham this month and were in Brigg for a special event attended by over a thousand people which included a fly-past by original World War II aircraft. A fitting event considering the style of music they play, a mixture of Glen Miller tunes and the music of Sinatra, Gershwin, Ella Fitzgerald and Cole Porter.

This summer promises once again to be a busy time and Paula is looking forward to the band playing at the Riverhead Theatre in Louth and also at Skegness's' Embassy Theatre. During her interview, she pays tribute to her band members all of whom, spend hours travelling to and from rehearsals and gigs.

In between running the bands Paula is a part-time waitress and her employers have also supported her musical endeavours through sponsorship. Paula says being 63 is no barrier to leading a busy life and can't understand why people of her age once their children leave home get a pet. She says, she has the freedom to do what she likes, when she wants, without having to 'get home to take the dog out'.