WEDDING bells will soon be ringing thanks to your favourite local paper as one happy couple celebrate winning our Winter Wedding Competition.

With more than £1,500 worth of prizes on offer, Paula Smith (33) from Boundary Road, and her fiance Derek Lawton (29) from Brookfield Street, Newton-le-Willows, just couldn't believe their luck when they were told they had won. They now plan to tie the knot in December this year at St Thomas's Church where both are members of the congregation.

The couple first met through work - they both work at Kerr & N. Filters in Warrington where Derek is a foreman and Paula, a packer - and although initially just friends, romance soon blossomed.

Paula, who is one of four sisters, told the Star: "We always got on well together but one day Derek asked me out for a drink and we just clicked."

They eventually got engaged last October and Paula added: "People are always joking about the fact that he is my boss but I usually tell him what to do out of work!" And as an early gift to his bride-to-be, Derek has already paid for daredevil Paula to have flying lessons. She said: "I have always loved flying in aeroplanes and he told me I might as well try and have a go at flying myself. It was an absolutely fantastic feeling - certainly one of the best presents I have ever been given."

Paula and Derek have now set aside December 13 as their big day and everyone at the Star wishes them all the best! THE vast array of fantastic prizes which Paula and Derek have won are as follows:

£150 off a wedding dress from a selected range, courtesy of Brides of Town and Country, Chester House, 46 Kemble Street, Prescot.

A bride's bouquet to the value of £100, courtesy of Wendy's Flowers, 21 Church Road, Rainford.

Hire of the bridegroom's suit to the value of £75, courtesy of Wedding Day World, North John Street, St Helens.

Room hire free of charge for the evening reception, courtesy of Regency Dance Centre, Prescot Road, St Helens.

Two chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce Silver Shadow saloons, fully decorated to pick up the bride, bridesmaid and groom to take them to the church and then on to the reception, to the value of £260, courtesy of Christopher Cars, Nutgrove Hall Drive, St Helens.

Wedding make-up special which includes a rehearsal and make-over on the day, courtesy of Expressions of Beauty, 9 Carr Mill Road, Billinge.

Wedding photographs and album to the value of £350, courtesy of Laird's Photography, 113 Higher Parr Street, Fingerpost Shopping Centre, St Helens.

A wedding video for the church and reception, valued at £300, courtesy of Apex Video Studio, 52 Eastway, Maghull.

A free gentleman's wedding ring to match the ladies wedding ring bought at GS Milton Ltd., 15 Ormskirk Street, St Helens.

Hire of two bridesmaids dresses sizes 10 to 18, courtesy of Vogue Bridal House, 89-91 Freckleton Road, Grange Park, St Helens.

A magnum of Moet Chandon from Nevins.

A delightful 24-piece canteen of Oneida cutlery from Bartons, Duke Street.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.