Lovestruck former Burnley couple elope to idyllic Scottish beach to tie the knot four decades after they first met

Brian Heron and his bride, Joanne Alderson-Bythell, became husband and wife in a traditional hand fasting ceremony in Crear, a private coastal wedding venue on the west coast of Scotland.

The dramatic backdrop for the ceremony was the ruins of an ancient church and Joanne wore a stunning one-off 'steam punk' Victorian style gown she helped to design herself. from Legend Bridal Gowns in Great Harwood.

Joanne said: "It was just a perfect romantic day. A couple of days before there had been storms in Crear but on the day we got married the sun came out, it was almost magical.

"It was a day just for us and could not have been more perfect.

"It shows that if you want something enough you can make it happen, even in the middle of a pandemic."

The couple had originally planned a belated engagement party and joint 50th celebration this month but when that had to be cancelled they decided to elope.

Joanne said: "We heard about so many weddings that had to be postponed or scaled down, more than once, so we decided we just wanted to go ahead and get married with as little fuss or stress as possible.

"We managed to keep it a secret from family and friends as we did it in the half term, when I was off work, and it was also on a Tuesday, not a day you would normally get married on.

"We were just praying that Scotland would not go into full lockdown and stop anyone from outside going to the area so we travelled up there a couple of days before the wedding."

A Scottish piper played a selection of traditional tunes and, at Joanne's request, he also played the theme tune from Outlander, her favourite TV show about a Second World War British army nurse called Claire Randall who, while enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland, is transported back to 1743 after she touches some mysterious rocks.

Finding her life and freedom threatened she falls for a Scots warrior and ends up caught between two worlds.

And to make their elopement even more perfect the newly weds enjoyed a three night honeymoon in Pitlochry in Perthshire where scenes for the show were filmed.

Joanne, who celebrated her 50th birthday in August, said: "We went to the place where Claire touches the rocks and goes back in time. It was just stunning and I felt so lucky to be there.

The couple got engaged on Easter Sunday when Brian, who turned 50 in May, proposed to Joanne during a champagne picnic in the hills above Cliviger, one of their favourite places to walk.

He presented her with a sapphire and diamond ring, reflecting his Scottish heritage, in the shape of a Celtic love knot. Brian commissioned a jeweller to make the ring which he designed himself and kept hidden from Joanne for months.

Classmates at the former Ivy Bank High in Burnley, the couple had hardly seen each other after they both left school, married and had families. Brian emigrated to Canada and Joanne lived all over the UK before returning to Burnley several years ago.

They met up again two years ago, through mutual friends Brian had called to see while he was visiting family in Burnley, and he invited Joanne out for a drink... something he admits he never had the courage to do when they were teens!

The romance blossomed and the couple flew across the globe a couple of times to see each other until Brian finally decided to return back to the UK for good in May last year, resuming his job of 27 years working for Electricity North West as a high voltage cable jointer.

Both are keen walkers and members of the Burnley Mountaineering and Fell Walking Club.

In May they moved from Brunshaw in Burnley to a new home in the Ribble Valley and they also welcomed a new addition to their family... a giant Schnauzer puppy named Keever!

Joanne works as a senior receptionist at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Blackburn and the couple have six children between them.

Brian has two daughters Kirsty and Holly. His only son Josh died aged just 27 in December, 2018. Joanne is mum to Louis (29) Samuel (27) 26-year-old Hannah and Harrison who is 17.

And the couple have promised they will hold a huge celebration party in 2021 for family and many friends.

Joanne said: "Next year we have quite a few big family birthdays to celebrate as my son Louis will be 30 and my youngest son Harrison turns 18.

"It is also my mum's 70th so we have a lot to celebrate and we plan to do it in style."