ALAN Milburn has got married at the top of a North American mountain, The Northern Echo can reveal.

The Darlington MP married his long-term partner Ruth Briel 12,000ft up the Rocky Mountains near Denver, in Colorado, clad in ski wear.

The couple conducted their own short ceremony, which was witnessed only by their two sons, Danny, ten, and Joe, 15.

Immediately after the exchange of rings - which included Ms Briel's mother's eternity ring - the four-strong wedding party skiied down their favourite Rendezvous run on Copper Mountain.

"It was absolutely fantastic," said Mr Milburn last night. "The sun was shining, it was warm and there were the most stunning views. It really did feel like we were on the top of the world."

Mr Milburn and Ms Briel, a consultant psychiatrist, married on New Year's Day, but it is only now being made public as they are sending out invitations to close family and friends for the celebration which will be held in the House of Commons in mid July.

Mr Milburn's mother, Evelyn, who lives in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, is on the guest list, as is the Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife, Cherie, who has been encouraging the couple to tie the knot for some years.

Mr Milburn, 49, was one of the rising stars of Mr Blair's first Government but in July 2003 he surprisingly resigned as Health Secretary to spend more time with his family.

Mr Milburn and Ms Briel, who have been together for 17 years, planned the wedding for some months beforehand.

They bought a licence in the nearby town of Breckenridge, Colorado, which entitled them to be married either in a traditional service in a church conducted by a vicar, or on a mountainside conducted by themselves.

"It has taken us a long time to get round to it, and we are both very happy," said Mr Milburn