LOVE-struck Wendy Milligan married a Moroccan restaurant manager - after he popped the question in the first week of her holiday.

But the couple are being forced to live apart until he can secure a visa which would allow him to live in the UK.

Wendy, 32, from Acomb, met Youssef El Aabous, 24, in his home town of Agadir, during the second day of a fortnight's holiday with a friend.

She said they hit it off straight away, and just days later, Youssef pulled out an engagement ring and proposed in her apartment. Wendy, an advertising sales rep, returned to the resort after a few months, and they were married, before she came home a few days later. Now Youssef has a crunch interview with the British Consulate in Casablanca in July to discover if his visa application has been successful.

The couple plan to tie the knot in Wendy's home town in Scotland when it is finalised, as the UK does not recognise Moroccan wedding ceremonies. The couple see each other every other day on a web cam, and send each other texts.

"It just felt so right to get married," Wendy said.

The couple wed in Youssef's apartment, surrounded by his friends and their immediate family.

"It was a really relaxing day," Wendy said.

"We want to live in England for a few years before maybe going back to Morocco."

Updated: 09:29 Wednesday, May 24, 2006