IT was a day when history was made. Six gay couples, eight women and four men, sealed their commitment to each other at York Register Office yesterday - legally binding their relationships for the very first time.

They joined 687 other same-sex couples across England and Wales who were taking advantage of the Government's new civil partnership legislation, which gives similar legal recognition to marriage. Yesterday was the first day these couples were legally able to join together in this way.

For Clifton couple Debra and Leonie Woodhall-James, York Hospital staff who celebrated their union with a public commitment ceremony more than seven years ago, it was a day when the law finally caught up with them.

"We were already married, we consider ourselves married," said Debra.

"But obviously we didn't have the legal standing that the civil partnership offers."

Debra and Leonie, who wore rich purple and ivory outfits for their ceremony in York Register Office's Bootham Suite, wrote their own script for much of the occasion - although legally the only compulsory element of the day is the signing of a schedule.

Together they promised to be each other's "best friend", so they became "one entity in our lifelong union".

Other couples who became civil partners yesterday included University of York administrator and champion for the over 50s Sue Lister and her partner, Ann Murray, a medal-winning badminton player.

The pair, from Dunnington, also declared their commitment to each other back in 2003 - in a special ceremony run as part of a pilot project.

Sue said: "It's absolutely vital that people recognise that there are couples who want to share their life together who happen to be of the same gender. It's a turning point in British history."

Meanwhile, Saffron and Jenny Walkling, from South Bank, York, also joined together in the new union yesterday.

Saffron, a lecturer, and Jenny, a teacher, met at the University of York in 1997. After their civil partnership ceremony they said they were "delighted" to finally have legal recognition and "applaud this as a step towards equality".

In North Yorkshire, 15 couples were due to become civil partners yesterday, with nine male ceremonies and six female ceremonies expected to take place.

Civil partnership offers a new range of rights and responsibilities for same-sex couples, including equal treatment as married couples in inheritance tax, employment and pension benefits, life assurance and inheritance of a tenancy agreement.

Meanwhile, Sir Elton John and David Furnish "married" in an emotional civil partnership ceremony at the Windsor Guildhall after 12 years together. The stars were out in force last nightfor a lavish reception at Sir Elton's mansion in Old Windsor.

Updated: 10:01 Thursday, December 22, 2005