A DATING agency that has been matchmaking people from its offices in Windsor for 30 years has celebrated its anniversary - as 90 couples came back to thank the women who made it all possible.

Karen Mooney set up the Sara Eden Dating Agency in 1988. But her earlier career could not have been more different.

She was working at Buckingham Palace at the time of the notorious break-in when an intruder reached the Queen's bedroom. She was put in charge of setting up the infrastructure of a new protection department.

Her big career change was inspired by the stresses of the job and the long hours she and other staff were working at the palace.

She said: "I thought 'how can people meet each other when they are working such long hours?'

"That gave me the idea for the dating agency and I knew if I did not do it then I never would."

The Sara Eden dating agency operated in Thames Street for many years, moving to Park Street in 2010.

Ms Mooney later opened second office in the heart of Westminster.

The 'birthday' party at the agency was a great success as happy couples came back to express their gratitude - many brought their children.

Ms Mooney has some great stories to tell.

She said: "One couple we introduced discovered that he had taken over her desk doing the job she had just left. One American man who worked in the film business came to us because he wanted to marry an English girl.

"He met Diane through us and came back every two months to meet other ladies, before deciding that Diane was the one for him."

Ms Mooney herself lives in Windlesham and has a 21-year-old son.