LIZ Morgan is marrying her husband Handrew again because he has forgotten they are man and wife.

The ceremony marks the start of their new life together, having experienced a trauma beyond your wildest nightmare.

Liz said: "Our wedding vows said for better or worse. I have been driven to the brink of despair, but never lost hope. My prayers were answered and now we're rebuilding our future."

The Eldene couple's horrific ordeal began on their honeymoon in Pattaya, Thailand, in September, 2000, when Handrew suffered severe memory loss in a road accident.

Liz, 30, said: "It was supposed to be a dream holiday and the perfect way to follow our white wedding in my local church in Melksham."

While Liz basked in the sunshine, Handrew tended to her every desire. On their fourth day in paradise, they had braved riding an elephant and planned to go out for an evening meal.

"But I felt too tired. So Handrew went on the motorbike we hired to get some petrol and shopping," Liz said.

Hours passed and Handrew failed to return. As night fell, Liz became worried and wanted to call for help. But being unable to speak Thai, no-one could understand what she was saying.

She said: "I was scared something awful had happened and felt utterly stranded in a strange country."

In desperation, she walked to the local police station and hospital with her wedding day pictures. Pointing to Handrew, she tried explaining that she had lost her husband.

"It was petrifying. One minute I was in my husband's arms, the next he had completely disappeared," Liz said.

Her worst fears became reality nearly two days later when Handrew was found lying unconscious in a ditch by the roadside. He suffered severe brain injuries and was put on a life support machine in hospital.

Although police will never be sure what happened, it appears the bike skidded on mud, flinging him over the handlebars of the motorbike he hired.

The police recognised Handrew's face from the wedding photographs and contacted Liz.

"When I arrived at the hospital, doctors said he wouldn't pull through. They told me there was no point keeping the life support machine switched on," she said.

Determined to stand by her husband, she sat vigil by his hospital bed and prayed for him to wake up.

Liz said: "The shock and pain left me numb with disbelief. But there was never any question of abandoning Handrew.

"No matter how distraught I was, he needed me more than ever and the feeling was mutual."

Fortunately Liz's family, from Melksham, were on hand for extra support. Her two brothers, Dave and Jim, even flew out to Thailand to help.

Although financial concerns were far from her mind, Liz discovered Handrew's health care was not covered by insurance.

In spite of the huge medical costs and uncertainty whether her husband would recover, Liz stayed positive and never lost hope.

With steely resolve, she said: "To me, standing by Handrew was the only option. We were married so I had to do my best and believe in him."

Then doctors dropped the bombshell news that would test Liz's love to the limit.

They explained that even if Handrew regained consciousness, he would lose at least six months' memory before and three months after the accident happened.

That meant all traces of their wedding and honeymoon would be wiped from his mind.

A month after the tragic turn of events Handrew, still unconscious, was flown home to be looked after at a specialist head injury hospital in Bath.

Liz said: "It cost £7,000 to bring him back because we had to hire doctors and nurses to monitor him on the flight. At this point I hit rock bottom and was haunted by the thought I had lost my husband for ever."

Just when her nerves were about to give way, Handrew woke up.

Liz was ecstatic and her relief was overwhelming.

But, as the doctors warned her that his memory was incomplete. Handrew didn't have a clue who his wife was.

Liz said: "Overjoyed, I wrapped my arms around him. He thought I was a raving lunatic and screamed for the nurses to take me away.

"At first I was just glad he was alive again. Telling me to get lost was better than getting no response at all."

For nearly a year her patience was pushed to breaking point as Handrew treated her like a complete stranger and kept asking his sister to send her away.

"It was hard to take his insults and terribly exasperating trying to make him believe me.

"I showed him our wedding pictures and told him how we first met as pen friends, but still I was a complete blank," she said.

Finally in December last year, doctors allowed Handrew to go home. But only on condition that they live near Melksham, where Liz has family to help her cope with the effects of his memory loss.

Liz said: "Without my family and religious faith, I would probably have thrown the towel in by now. Handrew is a handful. But, no matter what he thinks, we are married and I still love him." Sitting in their newly decorated home in Eldene, they look like typical newly-weds.

But Liz has to write everything down so Handrew remembers it and says his social skills aren't what they used to be.

"When we have guests round, I have to remind him to talk to them. Otherwise he'll sit in silence without thinking it's rude.

"And if he goes shopping, I'll always write a list," she said.

Handrew, 40, said: "I owe everything to Liz. She saved my life when doctors wanted to switch the machine off. And now I'm looking forward to marrying her.

"I'm back to normal again, aren't I?"

Even though framed pictures of their wedding sit on the mantle piece, Handrew still struggles to believe that it really happened.

"I need to feel the experience before I can see it as true," he adds.

So on April 20 they are officially getting married again.

"The only thing we can't do is sign the register again," Liz said.

So they are looking for-ward to re-living their perfect day and this time hope to have a perfect honey-moon as well.

Liz said: "Easter is a special time for me. It is a miracle that Handrew came back to us and I can't wait to marry him all over again.

"This will be our new beginning."