Rush to hold weddings on special 10/10/10 date

Chichester Register Office, in West Sussex, is opening for the first Sunday in its history

Sunday will be one of the busiest days of the year's wedding calendar with couples hoping the date 10/10/10 will bring them luck.

Some register offices are opening on a Sunday for the first time after couples asked if they could marry on the date.

Manchester Register Office is opening for only the third time on a Sunday since it was established in 1837.

Ngaryan Li, who is marrying Steven Higham, said: "I'm of Chinese origin and it's seen as a very good date."

She added: "It means the perfect day."

Ms Li, whose parents came to the UK from Hong Kong some 35 years ago, said: "I was ringing round quite a lot of places, then Manchester Register Office said they were going to be open.

"It wasn't my first choice - of somewhere local - but the main thing was offering the date."

In total, six couples have arranged to get married at Manchester Register Office on Sunday.

Ms Li, a solicitor at Stephensons in St Helens, Merseyside, met her fiance when she took over his job and they spent a handover period together. He now works as a legal executive in the firm's Wigan branch.

They have been planning their wedding for about a year.

Ms Li said: "I feel very lucky to get that date."

Chichester Register Office, in West Sussex, is opening for the first Sunday in its history.

A spokesman for West Sussex County Council said it was "in response to popular demand".