THEY say your first love never dies and it seems many people would agree.

Louise Cook from Parkstone in Poole was just 17 when she met her first love Michael at a local church youth club and they've been together ever since.

"I guess it was love at first sight," she says. "Six months after we met we got engaged and then we were married a year and a half later."

The couple, who now have four children, celebrate their 24th wedding anniversary in September. But Louise says they are by no means the exception.

"Quite a few of our friends married their first love and they are still together too!"

Jessica Gulliver, who works at a public relations company, believes first love always has a certain power.

"We all remember our first love, that dip into uncharted waters. A colleague of mine bumped into her first love in a bar about five years ago and though they were in love at the age of 13 and were now well into their 30s, the spark was very much there."

And then there is always The One That Got Away. Sarah, not her real name, from Bournemouth, bumped into her first love in a local bistro just a few months ago.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw him - I had butterflies in my stomach! I was amazed he could still have such an affect on me after all this time.

"I still think of him and wonder what might have been, but then again he is happily married now and I am a great believer in fate so it was obviously just not meant to be."

  • Author Debbie Macomber known as the queen of women's fiction in the States, has just written a book about the subject of first love, called Old Boyfriends.

The story is about Susannah Nelson who goes back to her home town when she is 50 and returns to many unresolved things of her past, namely ex-boyfriend Jake, who is proverbial One Who Got Away.

The paperback is due to be published by Mira on July 20 price £6.99. As a special offer we have got three box sets of Debbie Macomber books worth £100 each to give away.

All you have to do is write and tell us about your first love and the best three stories will win and may also be published in the Daily Echo.

Remember to include your name and address and daytime telephone number. Please send your stories to: First Love Reader Competition, The Daily Echo, Promotions Department, Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, BH2 6HH. Closing date: July 13 2007. All usual Echo rules and regulations apply.