More gay weddings are being held in Brighton and Hove than anywhere else in England.

The city council's register office has so far received 182 bookings now marriage between gay and lesbian couples has become legal.

Westminster has the most in London, with 70 bookings, and Camden has 50. Sheffield has 39 and Newcastle 25. Birmingham has had 180 inquiries.

Three Brighton couples had planned to make history by becoming the first in the UK to tie the knot as the clock struck midnight on December 21.

But their plans had to be put on hold for an extra eight hours to fit in with the rules for heterosexual marriages, which can only be conducted between 8am and 6pm.

The Civil Partnership Act, which passed through Parliament last year, allows gay and lesbian couple similar rights to those of married heterosexuals.

The partnership allows gay people to benefit from a dead person's pension, grant next of kin rights in hospital and exempt them from inheritance tax on a partner's home.