A ROCK climbing couple will tie the knot in more ways than one today when they get married.

Peter Cooper and Jane Smedley, of Wedderburn Road, Malvern, are used to tying knots in ropes but not at the altar.

But this was all changing today when they marry at Christchurch, in the town.

Peter said he did suggest something less conventional but joked that his suggestion of a wedding halfway up a mountain did not go down too well.

He was already an experienced climber when he met Jane in a pub 10 years ago.

"I asked her is she'd like to go rock climbing with me. It was a very successful chat-up line because she said yes," said Peter. Jane was soon hooked on the sport and Peter admits that now on some difficult climbs she is the one who comes back grinning saying 'wasn't that great' when he's silently thinking how hard it was.

The Malvern couple have been climbing all over Britain and also enjoy climbing in the Swiss Alps.

Peter, who works at Worcester Technical College and Jane, a nursery nurse, are planning to move to North Wales in the near future.

Peter, who is a qualified mountain leader, said he would like to work as a leader for walkers, climbers and mountaineers.