A WHIRLWIND romance sparked wedding bells for a retired couple who said 'I do' in one of the first marriages since lockdown.

Marilyn Gios, 73, a retired district nurse, and David Grey, 68, a retired solicitor, tied the knot in an intimate ceremony with just 15 of their closest family members.

The couple met on the dating site, Christian Connections, in summer last year in what was described as a 'perfect match'.

Mrs Grey said: "We had already been talking for three weeks online before meeting at the Number 17 restaurant in Milnthorpe.

"I thought he was a very nice guy. I actually wrote in my diary 'I could fall for this guy' when we first met.

"He was very kind and very considerate - all the qualities that I liked."

The couple were both searching for a companion to share their life with after becoming widowed from their previous marriages.

Mrs Grey, who has one son and two grandchildren, said: "Mr husband had died 18 months before and David had lost his wife five years before.

"He was looking for someone in his life and I was feeling very sad and lonely as it was near my anniversary.

"Mr friend sent me the Christian Connections website and I thought I may as well."

The couple took their relationship to the next step after a holiday in Portugal over the New Year

Mr Grey, who has three children and two grandchildren, said: "We'd been talking about getting engaged but thought we'd do it after we'd been abroad together.

"I'd already been looking at some rings in some shops and decided to ask Marilyn one night after she got back from Bible study, which she happily accepted."

The couple said 'I do' at St Peter's Church in Heversham on Saturday July 18 followed by a meal at Storrs Hall in Windermere.

"It was actually booked for July 4 but we had to delay it because of coronavirus," Mr Grey said.

"There were no guests at the church apart from our immediate family and we're going to have the blessing and reception at the end of next March at the Castle Green Hotel in Kendal."

The pair described the big day as 'magical' and 'like a dream'.

Mrs Grey said: "It was lovely, we had a yellow 1926 Rolls-Royce which was awesome.

"The whole day went like a dream.

"We had afternoon tea and an evening meal at Storrs Hall with a room overlooking the lake - it was just magical.

"We went home to a house full of balloons put up by our family."

The couple had to postpone their honeymoon to France due to Covid-19 but are planning on jetting abroad next year.