Last updated at 08:36, Monday, 10 September 2012

TEENAGE sweethearts who rekindled their love more than 20 years later through Facebook have married.

BIG DAY: Childhood sweethearts Mike Burrows and Jill Hammond were married yesterday after finding each other again through Facebook CANDICE WRIGHT REF: 50038256B000

First loves Jill Hammond, 39, and Mike Burrows, 41, tied the knot at The Nan Tait Centre, in Barrow, yesterday.

Their daughters Jessica Wheeler, 11 and Emily Burrows, 13, were their bridesmaids, and Jill’s niece Rubi Hammond-West was a flower girl.

The newlyweds and the girls were whisked off to their reception in a headturning 1964 Volkswagen Samba van.

The happy couple met at St Matthew’s Church youth club, in Barrow, in 1986. They started going out in 1987 when they were 14 and 15 and were together for two years.

Both went on to get married to other people and later divorced, and each has a daughter.

In the next two decades they bumped into each other about three times, but in 2010 they were reunited through Facebook.

The bride’s sister, Jo Hammond-West, sent the groom a message on Facebook pretending to be her and asking him out for a drink.

The lovebirds met up and their love blossomed again.

Last July the groom proposed to his wife-to-be on a canal cruise in Amsterdam using a friendship ring he had bought her for her 16th birthday. When they returned to the UK he bought her a diamond engagement ring.

In Tuesday’s Evening Mail the couple told how they are delighted to have found each other again as they are “first loves, best friends and soul mates”.

After getting married the bride said: “It was fantastic, it was very tearful. It’s our happily ever after.”

Mr Burrows said: “It was amazing, a bit emotional, I started crying. Jill is absolutely stunning.”

The new Mrs Burrows’ mum Lilian Hammond, 61, said: “It is a fantastic day. They were always meant to end up together. He’s a lovely guy.”

Their reception afternoon tea was taking place at Clarence House, in Dalton, and the night do was happening at The Nines, in Barrow. Some of the invited guests were to include old friends from the youth club where they first met.

The couple plan to have a family holiday to Florida at a later date.

First published at 13:13, Sunday, 09 September 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk