WHEN bachelor boy Steven Hunt met Barbara Byrne on a busy market he knew they were heading for good times, better times!

And the Cliff Richard fan turned out to be the high class baby and sunny honey girl Steven wanted to be with constantly - even until the twelfth of never.

After a dynamite courtship Lowton livin' doll Barbara is now dreamin' of living in harmony with her guy with lucky lips from Knotty Ash!

Barbara and Steven said "I love you" after giving the green light to their quiet wedding ceremony in Leigh Town Hall.

For many of her family and friends the news came as a shock because they knew she already had another man in her life!

For the last 17 years Barbara, of Edgerton Road, has been travellin' light around the world on a big ship or flying machine to see her hero Cliff in concert.

While most of us have been enjoying a summer holiday in the country or relaxing on the beach, Barbara has been saving for the next time and wondering where do we go from here.

Barbara' has been on two trips to Australia, jaunts to Germany, Belgium, Holland and France with the time in between spent at dozens of British venues watching her idol with the eyes of a child and splashing out a massive £50,000 in the process!

Barbara said: "We met last September in the little town market at Hindley. And I thought 'Hey, Mr Dreamaker". We decided quite suddenly to get married and just went ahead and did it!

"Cliff couldn't have protested even if he had wanted to, for on the same day he lost his voice and came down with flu in Manchester, though I wish he had been able to come to Leigh to give me away.

"I have already told Steve that being married won't stop me following Cliff and if he asks me to take down any of my pictures I'll refuse to move it. He has been really understanding - though perhaps the threat to kill him if he moved any of them may have had an effect!" Barbara laughed.

Barbara, a full time carer, rates herself as Cliff's hot shot number-one fan. And never mind she is still a little in love with her theme for a dream.

Still carrie-ing a torch for the young one(s), she is on first name terms with Cliff and many of his entourage often saying "Goodbye Sam, hello Samantha".

Barbara has a huge collection of memorabilia and photographs collected over the years. She has visions of a book about her hero which is expected to be published in the autumn and which will contain about 200 photographs, none of which have appeared in print before.

She added: "People will think I ain't got time anymore for Cliff. But I now have two hearts in my life and I expect it will be a bit strange for Steve seeing all this stuff about Cliff everywhere, but that is the way I am and he knows I won't change. Anything he says will be like a voice in the wilderness.

"I'm also hoping my book will be popular when it comes out so I can get back some of the money I've spent over the years."

When asked for a comment about his new wife's 'other man' Steve said diplomatically: "She's expresso bongo about Cliff really, but on my word I don't mind! She's so beautiful; I'll just have to get used to her mad ways!"

Now the couple are settling down to married life.

"I used to think that some people had all the lucky. But now I'm looking forward to the joy of living with Steven and having a family. Then I'll be able to tell the children 'Daddy's home'," said Barbara.

Cliff was unavailable for comment! Perhaps he's just hoping that Barbara will "Remember me". DID you spot some of Cliff's greatest hits in the story. They were: Congratulations; Bachelor boy; Good times, better times; High class baby: Sunny honey girl; Constantly; The twelfth of never; Dynamite; Livin' doll; Dreamin'; Living in harmony, Lucky lips; I love you; Green light; Travellin' light; Big ship; Flying machine; Summer holiday; In the country; On the beach; The next time; Where do we go from here; The time in between; With the eyes of a child; Move it; Hot shot; Never mind; A little in love; Theme for a dream; Carrie; The young ones; Visions; Two hearts; A voice in the wilderness; Expresso Bongo; On my word, She's so beautiful; Some people; Joy of living; Little town, Hey Mr Dreamaker, I ain't got time anymore; Remember me.

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