A Mid Sussex couple were on top of the world today after winning the right to be the first to wed on the giant London Eye wheel.

Investment banker Simon Stapleton, 30, will marry 25-year-old Dawn Bottomley in one of the attraction's pods 433ft above the capital.

The pair, from Burgess Hill, won a competition run by the attraction's owner, British Airways.

They were named today after beating 999 other wedding hopefuls by telling competition organisers why they should be chosen.

Dawn told presenter Lorraine Kelly they were "the happiest couple in the world" following the announcement.

She said: "It's just so different. No-one's done it before, it's the first wedding on the London Eye and it's going to be us, so we're so excited about it."

Members of their families only found out about the win after being sent text messages telling them to watch the show this morning.

The wedding capsule itself will hold the couple, eight members of their immediate families, the bridesmaid and best man, and a registrar, while another capsule will hold 22 guests.

Once the couple are back on the ground, they will be whisked to a champagne reception at the nearby Marriott Hotel before jetting off on a luxury two-week honeymoon.

It is thought the wedding will take place some time in May.

But Simon was staying silent about Valentine's Day celebrations this year.

Dawn said they would probably just have a candle-lit dinner, but Simon said: "We'll see what turns out. I don't want to give anything away, but we'll try and do something."