A LOCAL authority registration service has postponed all planned weddings and stopped taking new bookings for ceremonies because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Lancashire County Council has been accepting dates from September but has now stopped.

It has closed its Register Offices for wedding ceremonies and stopped registrars officiating in private venues unless there is an urgent medical need.

All fees paid will be carried over to any new bookings.

Steve Lloyd, registration services manager, said: “All ceremonies are postponed until further notice. We appreciate that this causes a great deal of uncertainty for people who are planning to tie the knot and we can assure everyone that this is being kept under constant review. We will be guided by guidance from central government, but at this stage it is just not possible to say when they will restart.”

Clitheroe, Nelson and Rawtenstall Registration Offices are currently completely closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.