Two best friends from Norwich who are preparing to say 'I do' have won their dream wedding worth £10,000.

Tom Allen and Gina Pearce, both aged 31, have known each other for thirteen years but for more than a decade remained friends despite Mr Allen's secret feelings.

He said: 'We used to work together and I always fancied her but did not want to lose her as a friend.'

The couple, of Windsor Park Gardens, Sprowston, went their separate ways - Miss Pearce had her son, Jayden Souris, who is now nine, and Mr Allen moved to Canada to become a snowboarding instructor before moving to Australia.

'But we still stayed in touch and remained best friends,' she said.

Mr Allen, now working as a pub manager, eventually returned to Norfolk in 2011 and on his 30th birthday on January 28, 2012, the couple realised their feelings.

Miss Pearce, a beauty therapist, said: 'We've always had a really close bond but crossing over that line was not plain sailing.'

After a short split they managed to 'iron out some creases' and got back together in January last year. Soon after they went on a romantic holiday to Cornwall where Mr Allen proposed on May 4.

They booked their special day with Brasted's, at Manor Farm Barns, Framingham Pigot, but little did they know their luck would continue.

Charlie Womack, Brasted's events manager, explained that the eatery was giving away thirty prizes this year to celebrate its 30th birthday - and one of the prizes was a wedding.

She said: 'All the people who had booked a wedding for 2014 were put into a draw. Whoever had their name picked out were the winners, and in this case it was Tom and Gina who won their ten thousand pound wedding.'

Miss Pearce said she had originally not intended to go to the draw event after 'a really bad day' but her sister eventually talked her into going.

The first one there, Miss Pearce's name went into the hat first. She said: 'I never thought our name would get pulled out - I was so emotional. We just want to say a massive thank you to all the team at Brasted's.'

The couple are getting married on April 26.

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