WHEN romantic Sandra Hewitt and her Irish fiance couldn't decide which country to tie the knot in, they hit on the perfect compromise -- Scotland.

And they became one of a record-breaking 50 love-struck couples who married in Gretna Green on St Valentine's Day!

Sandra (24) from Scholes Park, Portico, married 31-year-old Kieran O'Brien, from Cork at the world-famous Old Blacksmiths Anvil in Gretna Green, 18 months after first meeting in Ireland, where she was working as a pharmacist.

The couple surprised their families when they officially announced their engagement just a week before the wedding and chose to wed in Gretna Green because it was 'neutral' territory.

Sandra said: "We met in Cork, so we had to decide which side of the water to have the wedding on. When we considered the options, Gretna seemed perfect as it was a neutral venue and the ultimate romantic location".

The couple were joined by 15 close family members who travelled to Scotland and enjoyed the reception at Comlongon Castle in Dumfries.

Sandra described the day as "very romantic" and added: "Everything was just as we wanted it, we didn't want a huge amount of fuss, but we wanted to have our wedding in the most romantic way possible".