FIREFIGHTER Neil Massey will have no excuses for forgetting his wedding date.

The 999 worker married his fiancee Paula Dawson last Wednesday — on the ninth day of the ninth month of 2009.

And it was no surprise to learn that the happy couple had been engaged for . . . nine years.

They had delayed tying the knot to bring up their two children, Francesca, aged eight, and Elliot, aged five.

And when the wedding was finally arranged at Bury Town Hall, colleagues from Neil’s watch at Bury Fire Station formed a guard-of-honour outside.

Neil, aged 37, from Greenmount, said: “We have been engaged for a long time but had not got round to setting a date because we had the children.

“But then a relative got married on August 8 last year and we thought that was a great idea. It seemed so appropriate for us to get married on 09/09/09 with me being a firefighter and we have been engaged for nine years.

“The ceremony went well and we had perfect weather. We couldn’t have asked for any more.

“Francesca was a bridesmaid and Elliot was a pageboy and they enjoyed it too. Now we have made the family complete.”

They met in a nightclub in Bury 11 years ago, and got engaged on Christmas Eve 2000.

Around 35 guests attended the ceremony at the town hall and 80 were invited to the reception at the Bolholt Country Park Hotel.

Paula, aged 33, said: “Earlier this year Neil suggested the date and I thought it was a good idea. The guard-of-honour by his colleagues was a lovely touch.”

She added: “It is a memorable date so he shouldn’t forget our anniversary!”