A COUPLE who overcame a tragic accident together were married at the weekend.

Former cricketer Jamie Hood, of Redcar, married his South African girlfriend, Jan Lloyd, at a ceremony in Kirkleatham Church, near Redcar, on Saturday.

Jamie's life was shattered when he was paralysed in a car accident in South Africa in 1998.

But Jan, who was uninjured in the accident, stood by Jamie and this weekend friends and family saw them get married and enjoy a reception at the Tall Trees Hotel, Yarm.

The accident left Jamie, an all-rounder with Yorkshire County Cricket Club's second team, on a life support machine. Although paralysed, he has failed to give up on life.

He proposed to Jan while on life support in hospital in South Africa and although he could not talk he was able to mouth his proposal which Jan accepted. She left South Africa to return to the North-East with her fiance.

Speaking about Jan, when the wedding was announced Jamie's aunt, Kathryn McLeod, said: "We had been trying to think of things for the future to keep him going, but this well help him tremendously. She is beautiful on the outside and beautiful on the inside.