THEY thought they would never be able to afford to get married – but now a Basingstoke couple are celebrating after winning a fantastic £15,000 wedding package.

Rob Vass and Katrina Payne cried tears of joy when they won a wedding competition organised by Basingstoke’s Festival Place shopping centre.

The couple, of Ochil Close, Buckskin, met 20 years ago but have never been able to afford a big wedding after Rob was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at the age of 29 – meaning he has not been able to work since.

The 36-year-old is fitted with a pacemaker and mini-defibrillator in case his heart suddenly stops.

Rob, who worked as a doorman at the former Basingstoke nightclub Martine’s, said: “I have always wanted to marry her, and not just in a register office.

“I have not been able to work and I never thought we would be able to afford it. The condition has taken my life away, so this prize is amazing.”

The prize includes a reception at the Hampshire Court Hotel, in Great Binfields Road, Chineham, clothing from Slaters Menswear and BHS, and wedding stationery from Paperchase. The lucky couple will also get a honeymoon of their choice from Virgin Holidays.

The competition was launched on Valentine’s Day by James Argent, star of the reality TV show The Only Way Is Essex.

A total of 30 couples entered and that number was whittled down to six finalists at a ceremony last Sunday.

Each couple then picked one of six wedding ring boxes – but only one contained the winning ring.

The couple burst into tears when they found out they had won and they were immediately joined on stage by their 13-year-old son Jordon.

Katrina said: “I was so nervous. When I picked up the box, I thought I had picked the wrong one. When I opened it and saw the ring, I nearly fell over.”