A BOLTON pensioner will today walk down the aisle with a 27-year-old bride he "bought" from her parents . . . for more than £5,000.

And in Wednesday's early print version of the Bolton Evening News (available before lunchtime) we ask: What do you think of this? - and members of the Bolton public give their reply (The story will appear on this web site on our 1pm update)

The Buddhist ceremony takes place in Thailand between 67-year-old widower, Fred Eckersley, and his bride, Sujittra Seetanoi, 40 years his junior.

After the service, Fred, who arrived in Bangkok several weeks ago to take up a teaching position with the Siam Language and Computer Institute, will begin the process of obtaining an English visa for his new bride, whose nickname is Apple.

The pair were introduced through a "go-between" and were were married in a civil ceremony within two days. Today marks their official Buddhist marriage ceremony.

But despite the unorthodox way in which they met, the Breightmet pensioner says he and his bride are in love.

Through E-Mail correspondence, he said: "Yes we love each other.

"What made me angry was that her parents sold her to me -- not very human by European standards, selling their own flesh and blood.

"But she is willing to the marriage. It is not a forced wedding.

"It was quite a 'whirlwind romance'. I was introduced to her on Saturday. She had travelled 400 miles to meet me from a place called Roi Et. I went back with her and met her father on Sunday -- her father is five years younger than I am -- and we married on Monday.

"We just hit it off. She is a wonderful young woman and not a bad looker either. It is the custom in Thailand to pay the parents some of money for the girl's upbringing.

"It cost me more than £5,000 sterling. I do not have money to throw away, so I considered it carefully . . . but not for too long.

"I came here to Thailand to teach English and computers. I obtained a job at the Siam Language and Computer Institute two days before I met her. Now I have resigned the position before even starting in it. I felt that I could not carry out the position that I had found and go ahead with the wedding.

"Our plans are to come to England. She wishes to learn English and using computers. I will of course teach her.

"After the Buddhist wedding we will come back to Bangkok and start the proceedings for the visa at the British Embassy. So I do not know when we will be in the UK."

Fred's first wife, Karin, from Romania died suddenly from food poisoning during a trip to the Austrian Alps, about two years ago, days after seeing her husband and their son, Craig, receive degrees in Information Technology and Aeronautical Engineering respectively from Salford University.

Fred and Karin met as pen pals after he had answered an advert in a magazine. Karin was born in Bucharest and went to the university there. About four years later the pair were married, but only after a battle with the authorities to allow Karin to leave the Communist country. They were together 26 years.

Speaking about the situation he now finds himself in, Fred explained: "Thailand's female children are rated by their parents, like cattle or merchandise for sale to the highest bidder. And if no one makes an offer, they remain unmarried for the rest of their lives.

"This is Thailand's ancient custom and it is perfectly legal. My fiancee and I were wed initially at a family gathering at which a policeman played witness. A large deposit was paid, and a contract was signed, plus a considerable amount of gold was vested on the bride, all paid for by the groom.

"An explicit threat of imprisonment was intimated if the final payment was not made. The bride's parents even asked for the money for the food consumed by the guests.

"However, the young lady was well worth the very high price and the aggravation that went with it!

"An agent or go-between, did all the arranging, also paid for by myself."