IT was a case of third time lucky as love-struck pensioners Henry Wallis and Christine Campbell Salisbury tied the knot.

The 81-year-old bride and her 75-year-old groom were beaming in the sunshine as they finally got to exchange vows after having to cancel twice due to health problems.

Registrar Kathy Andrews took the service at the Register Office inside Bournemouth Town Hall before they signed the marriage certificate to the sounds of What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong and Elvis Presley’s I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You.

“I enjoyed it very much and the registrar was charming,” Christine said.

“You could have a bit of a laugh with them.”

Henry has never been married, having spent many years looking after his mother.

Christine was widowed 15 years ago.

They thanked their guests for coming, including Henry’s brother Frank and the Reverend Nick Adlem, with his wife the Reverend Heather-Ann Adlem, from Richmond Hill St Andrews United Reformed Church.

Henry, who worked for Heinz, and Christine, who had her own beauty salon business, met when they each went on holiday alone to St Lucia at the end of 2008.

For New Year’s Eve celebrations they were placed together at a table by chance and it was “love at first sight”.

Henry said: “At midnight we kissed, like people do singing Auld Lang Syne.

“The stars and moon were shining that night and something magical seemed to happen.”

Henry later visited Christine at her home in Marbella before she visited him in Boscombe, where they now live together.

“It just shows you romance can still happen when you are in your 70s and 80s,” Christine added.