The Skipton area is turning into the Gretna Green of England.

Couples are choosing it as one of the most romantic spots for a civil wedding rather than a church.

Civil weddings in North Yorkshire ave risen by 11 per cent - up from 2,293 in March this year to an expected 2,545 by next spring.

Skipton is running away, with a rise of 16 per cent on last year - from 205 to 240 over the same period.

Couples are opting for one of seven venues in the town - The Tempest Arms at Elslack, the Red Lion in Burnsall, Hanover Hotel, Skipton, Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey, Coniston Hall or Coniston Hotel in Coniston Cold or the Devonshire Fell Hotel, also in Burnsall. Robin Mair, of the county council's media office, said: "Latest figures show that more couples are tying the knot in North Yorkshire than ever before.

"It's difficult to say for certain whether this increase is down to the Millennium or as a result of the county council's efforts to market North Yorkshire as the place to get married.

"Whatever the reason, we are delighted by these figures, which show North Yorkshire really is the Gretna Green of England."

Liz Grayshon, who runs the Red Lion at Burnsall, said they had seen a huge rise in weddings since late Spring.

"We've had the licence only a year and things didn't kick in until May, but since then we've had about 12 weddings. Some weeks we can get two. We have three booked in the space of three weeks from the third week in November."

Many couples using the service were getting married for the second time and couples were coming from throughout the country.

Hotels that wish to carry out civil weddings have to pay an £850 registration fee, valid for three years and awarded after a vigorous inspection by the county council, she added.

Rebecca Roberts, general manager at Coniston Hall Hotel at Coniston Cold, said: "We've only been open 18 months but we've had a lot of interest. So far we've had a wedding every other month but I anticipate next year it could be one a month. There is a lot of interest including from abroad."

l Fees for the registrar's attendance are £216 for weekdays, £252 for Saturdays and £294 for Sundays and Bank Holidays.