A DIVORCEE who fell in love with his mother-in-law hopes a new legal ruling will allow them to marry.

Clive Blunden and his partner, Brenda, aged 63, say they have spent 17 years as 'outcasts' because they are related.

Clive, aged 51, was married to Brenda's daughter, making her grandmother to their two children - aged 22 and 27.

Now the couple, from Westy, have broken their silence following a landmark ruling at the European Court of Human Rights last Tuesday, when an unidentified Warrington man was granted permission to marry his daughter-in-law.

Speaking exclusively to the Warrington Guardian, Clive said: "I'd marry Brenda tomorrow, I just need to be sure we are allowed. It's not like there are problems in the family, everything is great."

Brenda, who changed her surname to Blunden through deed poll, said: "When we heard about this hearing, I was so excited. Clive got down on one knee in the garden and asked me to marry him."

Clive fell for Brenda in 1989 while visiting his daughters at her house. It was four years after his marriage to Brenda's daughter broke down.

But 12 years ago Clive was arrested and taken to Arpley Street police station when they set a wedding date at Southport Register Office.

"We had the banns read, and next thing a copper turned up and arrested me. He waited for me to finish my dinner and then held me overnight," said Clive.

"It was the most humiliating experience of my life. We were treated like outcasts.

"During the interview I told them I didn't understand why it wasn't right, we aren't blood related."

Clive faced charges of perjury and up to seven years in prison if it could be proved that the duo knew the implications of their nuptials.

Brenda, who also divorced her husband in 1985, said: "It's only a piece of paper, but it's the principle."

She added: "Our relationship now is bizarre because as mother-in-law and son-in-law we hated each other."

The couple say that the family is their main priority, including Brenda's seven great grandchildren, five of whom are Clive's grandchildren and call her 'Nana two'.

l The Warrington solicitors who originally dealt with last week's groundbreaking case have welcomed the European ruling.

Partner at Ridgeway Grundy Solicitors Audrey Venables said: "It seemed unfair to us that, in this day and age, when cousins can marry, that in laws, who are not blood relatives, cannot.

"Also, at the end of this year, same sex couples are going to be able to marry too.

"We are pleased that the European Court of Human Rights has ruled in favour of this couple and the Government will have to change the law."