POSH and Becks, Jamie and Louise Redknapp, Ashley and Cheryl Cole - all-star matches made in football and pop music heaven, but there's nothing new about such romantic combos.

Fifty years ago this summer, England captain Billy Wright returned from the World Cup in Sweden to marry singer Joy of Beverley Sisters fame at Poole Register Office - and 8,000 people brought the town to a standstill as they turned out to watch.

It was Sunday, July 27, and the superintendent register, Gerald Rawlingson, had granted special permission for them to marry on a Sunday.

But the glamorous newlyweds did it all without the security cordons and celebrity magazine deals of their latter-day counterparts - Billy apparently travelled down to Poole by train and had to be back training with his team, Wolverhampton Wanderers, the next day, while Joy was due back on stage with her twin sisters Babs and Teddie at the Winter Gardens where they were appearing with Bob Monkhouse in summer season.