A couple who conducted their relationship with thousands of text messages are tying the knot later his year.

Terry Zipfell and fianc Allan Payne met when they both worked at Orange in Darlington.

Allan helped Terry with a job application and decided to take her out for a drink.

But rather than ringing her up, he decided to send her a text message - the first of many to be sent throughout their courtship.

The couple's relationship blossomed with more messages been set to fix up dates, but then in autumn 2000, Allan decided to keep to his long-held plans to spend a year in Australia.

Terry said: "We decided he should still go to Australia and during the entire time Allan was away we would send each other messages every day.

"Due to the time difference involved and my job, it wasn't always easy to know when to ring, but with a message I felt we were in constant communication."

Then, on New Year's Eve, last year, Allan sent an extra special text message to his girlfriend, asking her to marry him.

It did not take long for Terry to text back her answer saying she would love to marry him.

She said: "I couldn't believe it. I knew we were both missing each other but I never expected the message.

"At the time, I was with my family and friends and we had a great celebration."

And there was another surprise last Valentine's Day when a romantic text message arrived from Allan saying he was cutting short his trip, and would be home two days early.

The couple are now planning a wedding in Barbados, in October, with their daughter Nicole, and have carried on their addiction to messaging by texting invites to all their guests.

Terry said: "I guess we must have sent each other five or six thousand messages during the time we have known each other. We don't work together any more and it's a great way to keep in touch throughout the day."