A Trans-Atlantic romance blossomed when two people met via the Internet - and yesterday they were married.

Robert Pawass, from Thornaby, Teesside, and American Christina Hernandez chatted daily after meeting last year in an Internet chatroom.

Robert, 43, said: "My phone bills were horrendous at first as it got to a stage where we were chatting online for hours at a time."

A visit in March to 30-year-old Christina's home town in Arkansas confirmed the couple's love.

In August, she travelled to Teesside with her children, Faviola, nine, and three-year-old Diego.

While they were over here, Robert plucked up the courage to pop the question.

And yesterday, the couple were married at Thornaby Baptist Church.

Christina said: "It's all happened in a bit of a whirlwind, but we are both so happy.

"My children adore Robert and they are looking forward to the wedding as much as we are."