A COUPLE who met in a thoroughly modern way over the Internet are celebrating the virtues of old fashioned love.

David Turner, 43, of Wootton Bassett, and Iryna Vitaliyivna Galash, 30, of the Ukraine, were married at St Bartholomew's Church and are making their home in Wiltshire.

"We really feel that this is fate, and we are meant to be together," they said.

Mr Turner, of Swinburne Place, was browsing the Internet at Easter last year, and saw Miss Galashova, of Odessa, was seeking a male friend in Europe, and would be interested in a serious relationship. "I thought, why not reply? so I contacted her," said Mr Turner.

"In many subsequent e-mails and letters we covered many searching questions about our families, our backgrounds and our attitudes, and I decided I should go to visit her.''

After a difficult journey, with a flight delay, an unscheduled night in Vienna and a mix-up over luggage, he finally reached Odessa, and immediately recognised Iryna in the hotel lobby where they had arranged to meet.

"That introduction was the first of three longish visits, and we telephoned and wrote letters at least weekly," he said.

Miss Galashova a teacher with a first class honours degree in languages, has a brother in America, and understands English well.

Mr Turner, who was welcomed into the home she shared with her widowed mother in Odessa, wrote many letters, which included romantic stories.

The couple became engaged in March, and obtained a fiancee visa, so that she could join him in England in July, and sample life in this country.

She said: "I was delighted from the first time when I met David.

"We are very happy. I like everything here. It's much better than I expected, and I like the people here very much. I have met many very kind and very friendly people."

Mr Turner added: "We have a lot in common, in our attitudes, ideas and interests; we share similar tastes in music, and both enjoy literature.

"Ira is interested in history so I have learned more about my own country."