WARTIME friends recalled their girl power during a reunion in Suffolk.The women, now all in their 80s, were once Land Girls, a job they recall as "extremely hard work".

WARTIME friends recalled their girl power during a reunion in Suffolk.

The women, now all in their 80s, were once Land Girls, a job they recall as "extremely hard work".

Irene Grimwood, 81, who has written a book called Land Girls at the Old Rectory, said she had a great time meeting up with her old friends Molly Simpson, Joan Cracknell, Peggy Richer and Bobby Moyes on the Cornhill in Ipswich.

She said she especially enjoyed seeing Molly Simpson again, who went to America to become a GI bride 60 years ago.

"I haven't seen Molly since 1943. There were 30 of us Land Girls and she was in the same bedroom as me. At the reunion we were all mates again.

"I have a special bond with the girls. I'm very glad I went there as I had a whale of a time and the companionship was wonderful."

The five women worked on the fields at the Old Rectory in Halesworth until 1945, hoeing, harvesting, hedging and pulling up sugar beet. They even carried out the unglamorous task of muck spreading.

Mrs Grimwood recalled: "One time we had to lead a horse around a field, which I didn't like much as I am terrified of animals. It was nice to work outdoors but it was extremely hard work and we didn't get paid much. Everything was old fashioned, we didn't have any of the machines, such as combine harvesters.

"I don't know what the war effort would have done without us."

N Were you a land army girl between 1939-45. Write in with your memories to Letter's Editor, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk