BEING a sci-fi fanatic can have its drawbacks -- such as being called a 'sad geezer' or 'anorak' -- but for two star-struck lovers, a chance meeting on a website ended in the sound of wedding bells.

For Tony Fawl, 40, of Ribbleton, Preston, entered an internet chat room on Lexx.com, the cult sci-fi TV series, and embarked on a blossoming friendship with 26-year-old Russian beauty Katya Kourteeva,

Tony, the brains behind his own sci-fi web site -- www.sadgeezer.com -- had plenty to chat about to Katya who has set up her own Russian Lexx site.

The pair of 'anoraks' (pictured) ended up chatting for hours about their relative projects, and as they become more and more attracted to each other, they finally plucked up enough courage to exchange photographs of each other.

After seeing snaps of Katya in her native homeland of Siberia, Tony set about organising a Lexx conference in Moscow in order to meet his new found love.

Tony, from Spinney Brow, off Cromwell Road, said: "As I stepped through the airport doors to meet Katya, I saw her walking towards me and I knew from that moment she would be the one I would marry."

It took just four starry-eyed days for Tony to propose to Katya outside Lenin's tomb in Moscow's Red Square.

Now, Katya has moved to England and their wedding took place in front of a worldwide Lexx community at Preston's registry office, with guests travelling from all four corners of the Earth to be present for the marriage vows.

"She's absolutely fantastic and very intelligent," Tony said. "We now spend time helping out each other's site and we are hoping to visit Katya's parents in Siberia this summer."

Speaking about his 'sad geezer' website, Tony added: "The site is now a platform from which to launch the new SadGeezer brand, with a range of merchandise including T-shirts, baseball caps, key rings and pens.

"We already have a strong interest from the other side of the Atlantic, membership of 1,500 since its inception, and UK club membership is growing fast."

Future plans for the site include on-line chats with stars from favourite cult TV shows, and the site's very own interactive version of Lara Croft, who will guide any 'web surfer' through a world of pure 'sadness'.