Milestone for wedding row couple

A Derbyshire couple, whose fight with the Catholic Church to get married made international news, have celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

In 1983 Steve Rigby, who is severely paralysed, was told that as he unable have children, a priest could not marry him to fiancée Ilona.

But in a case which attracted global attention, they appealed to the Pope, who allowed the ceremony to take place.

Ilona said she was more in love than ever and proud of what they did.

Steve, a former army fitness instructor, was paralysed after an accident.

"The only issue we had was with the paparazzi"
Steve Rigby

The couple met when Ilona was his nurse, but their plans to marry were thrown into doubt by the attitude of Father Edward Walker.

Ilona said: "At the beginning I felt 'This isn't really happening'.

"I actually remember our best man - or the man who was supposed to be our best man - taking the phone call and saying 'I'm really upset that you can't get married, I am going to phone the television'."

But the media attention had its drawbacks.

Steve said: "The only issue we had was with the paparazzi who were banging on the door, even trying to get into the bathroom while I was having a bath.

"And on the wedding day when the church was full of cameras and photographers, more than there were guests and families.

"But I am hopeful that minds were changed to view marriage as two people who want to be together and love each other and commitment and not just sex and babies."

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