A couple who rekindled their love after spending 17 years apart have tied the knot, thanks to the Bristol Evening Post.

Noel Fazal and Allison Hague, of Yatton, won a wedding worth £15,000 earlier this year through a Post competition.

On Saturday the pair married at the Thistle Grand Hotel in Broad Street. Now they are to head off for a honeymoon in Devon.

The couple were former teenage sweethearts, meeting when they were 15 and 16 while on holiday in Italy.

They dated for four years, travelling between Allison's home in Bristol and Noel's Liverpool home, but the distance forced them to go their separate ways.

They met again by coincidence in Australia a year later, but again parted company and did not have any contact with each other for another 17 years.

Then, after Allison's marriage ended, she contacted Noel again, and they got back together in October 2006.

Since then they have had a daughter, Poppy, who is now 22 months old. On Saturday Poppy joined her two half-sisters, Georgia and Charlie, to be bridesmaids at their mum's wedding.

About 50 guests attended the civil ceremony, many of whom had made the journey down from Liverpool.

The bride wore a white gown, and the couple were attended by seven bridesmaids and three page boys.

Phil McCheyne, who took the wedding photographs for free as part of the competition package, said the ceremony went without a hitch.

Mr McCheyne said: "They couldn't have been a nicer couple, and it was a lovely wedding. They were very lucky with the weather on the day, and it was sunny and bright.

"We went over to Castle Park and got some lovely photos, and did some more pictures by the arches at the bottom of Broad Street.

"At the ceremony the bride was traditionally late while we took some photos in her room, but that is her prerogative, I suppose.

"It all went really well."

Last night the happy couple were getting ready to set off for their honeymoon.

Speaking after winning the competition, Noel said: "To my mind it should have been years ago that Allison and I were together, but I guess everything happens for a reason."