NEWLYWEDS Eric and Hannah Baker are now happily settling into married life after their big day was nearly called off when Hannah was rushed into hospital.

Eric (31) was born with brain damage after complications during his birth and Hannah (25) has Down's Syndrome - but it was Hannah's diabetic condition that threatened their wedding.

Just four days before the ceremony, at St Mark's Church in Salisbury, Hannah suffered complications caused by her diabetes and was rushed into Salisbury District Hospital.

Although she started to improve, doctors warned her mother, Marion Lee, that it was quite possible she would not be well enough to leave hospital for her wedding.

However, Hannah was determined and made sufficient recovery for doctors to allow her to leave hospital on the Saturday morning of her wedding, on condition that she returned to her ward afterwards.

Hannah and Eric were duly married but the honeymoon was postponed until Hannah was fully recovered.

The couple are now back in their new bedsit home in the Milbury Care Home in St Edmund's Church Street, after a honeymoon at Butlins holiday camp, Bognor.

Mrs Lee said her daughter, who left home to go into residential care just over a year ago, met Eric at a Mencap Christmas party and the pair became inseparable.

Mrs Lee said: "It is quite unusual for two people with such disabilities to marry but they are so happy together and have 24-hour care available to help them."