MARRIAGE rates have fallen in Wiltshire with fewer people tying the knot than ever before.

Figures published by the Office of National Statistics found during 2016 in Wiltshire there were 2,382 marriages.

There were 41 same sex marriages in the county in 2016, a drop from 2015 when 48 got married, but a rise from 2014 when just 28 same sex couple tied the knot.

The overall number of marriages in England and Wales was described as historically low, despite a small rise in the overall number of people marrying.

Less than a quarter of people got married through a religious ceremony, the lowest figure ever recorded.

The age at which people get married, whether single, divorced or widowed is increasing. The average age a man gets married in 2016 was 34 and for women was 31.

Kanak Ghosh, from the ONS, said:“Marriage rates remain at historical lows despite a small increase in the number of people who got married in 2016. Most couples are preferring to do so with a civil ceremony. and for the first time ever, less than a quarter of everyone who married had a religious ceremony. The age at which people are marrying continues to hit new highs as more and more over 50s get married.”

Across the country, marriage rates for same sex couples are falling for nearly all age groups under 44.