Valentine's Day couple marry at Holdsworth House in Halifax

Patricia Barnes offered him a helping hand with the wires until the end of her lunch.

After she left Andrew began asking others in the canteen if his lover-to-be was single and where she could be found.

Patricia, who worked as a receptionist, said: “Every time he saw me at work I was talking to someone so in the end he wrote me a letter.

“He’s an old romantic.”

Andrew Brooke, now 62, said: “It all stemmed from there.”

The couple from Birkenshaw have made it official by marrying not only on St Valentine’s Day but the bride’s 60th birthday.

The pair got engaged around 20 years ago in Zante whilst walking down a quaint street full of little jewellers.

Andrew asked his partner if she would like to pick one out.

Patricia said: “It was unexpected. I’m going ‘What do you mean?’

“We saw the ring and the holiday was an engagement holiday!”

The couple stuck to their personal tradition by finding the perfect wedding ring in Naxos, Greece.

Bride Patricia is being given away today by her younger sister, Julie, at Holdsworth House, Halifax, surrounded by close family and friends.

The family are celebrating her birthday this evening.

She said: “We’ve got a two-tier wedding cake and then my sister, famous for making Christmas cakes, made me my birthday cake.

“Everybody said ‘What do we do? When do we wish you a happy birthday?’”

The happy couple are a match in most things in life with a joint passion for island hopping, gardening, walking and rugby.

Although the sport can be a sore spot for a bride whose fiancé supports rival team, Bradford Bulls.

Patricia joked: “I’m a Leeds Rhinos supporter but we’ve worked past that!”

The Brooke’s are jetting off to Tenerife for their honeymoon - a place they both haven’t ventured to before.

Patricia said: “He’s always there when I need him.

“He’s my soulmate and my best mate.”