A PAIR of childhood sweethearts have become the youngest couple ever to tie the knot at Christ Church in Old Town.

Bonnie Buckland, 17, from Drove Road, and 16-year-old Leslie Coneley are believed to be the youngest couple to marry in the Cricklade Road church’s 148-year history.

Bonnie arrived for her big day in a gleaming white horse-drawn carriage with father Paul and her seven bridesmaids.

Bonnie has known her husband-to-be, amateur boxer and Olympic hopeful Leslie, all her life through family ties, and the couple have been together for three years.

She said: “I never really thought about being too young.

“I knew he was the one I wanted to marry and that was always our plan.

“Our parents have been good about it – they were a bit worried about us being so young but they know we love each other and they are happy for us.”

The couple will head off for a honeymoon in Cyprus before moving in together near Malmesbury.

Bonnie, a former nail technician, has given up work to concentrate on being a housewife.

Leslie, who has won three Golden Gloves titles and will be competing in the European championships next year, has taken time out from his burgeoning boxing career to concentrate on the wedding.

Leslie, from Reading, said: “It’s been everything I could have hoped for.

“We’ve been planning it for about a year and it’s been fantastic.

“I knew Bonnie was the girl I wanted to spend my life with so I didn’t worry about my age.”

More than 150 people packed Christ Church, with 300 expected for the reception at the Hilton Hotel, at Lydiard Fields.

The congregation sang Morning Has Broken, Love Divine and The King of Love during the service.

Bonnie said: “It was the only church I really wanted. You can see it from anywhere in Swindon and there’s something really special about it.”

Bonnie’s mother Suzie said she was proud of the young couple.

“You wouldn’t think they were so young because they don’t act that way at all – they are very mature for their age,” she said.

“When she first told us we said she was too young.

“But they have been together for quite a while and we really like Leslie, so we came round to the idea. They wanted to live together and we were keen for them to get married first.”

Kelly Coneley, Leslie’s mother, said she had a similar reaction when her son broke the news.

She said: “We thought they should wait a while.

“But Bonnie and Leslie had their minds set on getting married so we didn’t want to stand in their way.”