A VICAR has praised the Guardian for giving him the 'push' he needed to find love, after tying the knot in front of hundreds of friends, family and parishioners on Saturday.

More than 350 people turned up at Holy Trinity Church in South Woodford to watch Rev Robert Hampson marry Florence Adams following a whirlwind romance.

The 51-year-old admitted he had left it late in life to get married because of his busy lifestyle, but credited this newspaper for nudging him in the right direction when one of our reporters called to ask him for his new year's resolution last January.

When the vicar said he was hoping to find love the Guardian ran a campaign to help him do just that.

He said: "The Guardian can take some credit for helping to give me the push I needed at that time.

"I went on a few dates after the Guardian publicised this, and liked the women I met, but knew I wasn't quite suited to them.

"It was an important experience because it sharpened my resolve to find the right person."

Rev Hampson said the experience made him more determined than ever to find the right woman - but was surprised to find the woman of his dreams had been right in front of him all this time.

He said: "I had been friends with Florence for several years.

"I soon realised she was the one I wanted to be with and I was delighted when she agreed to marry me."

Florence, 43, said she was shocked but thrilled when Rev Hampson proposed to her.

She said: "I had found Robert attractive and charming for a long time, and we were good friends, but I never expected him to ask me to marry him.

"The service was wonderful, and I was touched by the efforts put in by people at the church."

The happy couple have since honeymooned in North Wales.