Birmingham University link for couples separated by 54 years

Both couples met in the same room at the University of Birmingham, more than half a century apart

A woman said she realised her relationship with her future husband was "meant to be" when she discovered she met him in the same room her grandparents had met 54 years earlier.

Bryony and Matt Allison first met in the University of Birmingham's Guild of Students building in 2014.

They were both rehearsing for a student production of West Side Story.

Half a century earlier, Janet Tyrrell met the man she would marry, Geoffrey Uren, at a dance in the very same room.

However, at one point Bryony and Matt's relationship seemed anything but certain.

Just as they were starting to get to know each other Mr Allison suffered a serious head injury and was forced to take a year out to recover.

They were reunited in 2015 during rehearsals for a student production of The Producers.

• Hear more from Bryony and Matt about how they met on BBC Sounds

"It felt like everything had slotted into place," Bryony said

"He was very enthusiastic. I was the choreographer for the show so I was doing the tap rehearsals and he'd always be in the front row," Mrs Allison, 29, said.

"I thought, 'this might be about more than just the show', and it snowballed quite quickly from there."

Mr Allison, 28, described himself as a keen student, largely because he "lacked the social ability to flirt with girls".

'A bit familiar'

Mrs Allison's grandmother, Janet Uren, returned to the building where she first met her late husband to watch her granddaughter perform in West Side Story, but did not initially know the significance of the building.

"As I was going up the stairs to the building, I thought, 'this feels a bit familiar, I think I've been here before'," Mrs Uren said.

"I got to the top of the stairs and was let into the big hall and I said to my daughter, 'this is where I met your dad. I was sitting there on that chair when he came and asked me to dance'."

She said the realisation left her "quite taken aback", particularly as her husband Geoff had since died, adding that he would have been "thrilled to bits" to discover the link.

Geoffrey and Janet Uren met at a dance at the University of Birmingham

"He seemed to have a special connection with Bryony and that is why for me it means a lot," Mrs Uren said.

"He's probably giggling his head off now, thinking it's great."

Reflecting on how she met her husband, the 83-year-old, who now lives in Droitwich, said: "I just remember being in this room and this lad came across and asked me to dance.

"I never say no to dancing, I've danced all my life. We did a quickstep. That was it, one and a half times around the floor, and the rest is history."

Mr Uren asked Janet, who was nursing at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at the time, if she would go to another dance with him the week after.

"As soon as he said dance, I said yes," Mrs Uren laughed. "If it had been skittles or something else, I would have said no."

The pair would often go to dances as they got to know each other and Mr Uren would always buy her an orchid that she would pin in her hair.

Janet Uren was on hand to support her granddaughter on her wedding day

Two years later, the pair tied the knot, and were married for 42 years until Mr Uren passed away.

Mrs Allison is the sixth member of her family to go to the University of Birmingham and called it an "unexpected dynasty".

She had originally intended to go to Leeds, but was rejected by the university and instead went to Birmingham.

"There was an element of me not wanting to copy or follow, but it turned out to be the best thing ever," she said.

"It's just a really lovely coincidence, particularly because my grandad's not here anymore, so it's nice to have that additional connection.

"I can really visualise them meeting in the way that I remember us meeting. It's a nice full-circle moment for the family.

"It felt like everything had slotted into place. It confirmed that maybe it was meant to be and I was where I was supposed to be."