IF absence really does make the heart grow fonder, two Hampshire couples were hoping to be even further in love this morning.

Brides-to-be Rachael Denness and Lesley Cawsey have spent the weekend trying to get as far away from their fiances as possible - in a bid to win their ultimate dream wedding.

The prospective bridegrooms need not worry - their intendeds were on a mission to make their fantasy big day dreams become a reality by travelling the furthest on just £10.

Rachael and Lesley were given 48 hours to beg, borrow and blag their way as far away from Fareham as possible as part of Power FM and Sandals Runaway Bride competition.

Today the Daily Echo revealed that Lesley was the winner after reaching Toronto in Canada - a distance of 3,729 miles. Rachael made it as far as the German capital Berlin - 635 miles.

The happy couples, Rachael and her fiancée Lee Double from Southampton, and Lesley and her childhood sweetheart Stuart Morgan from Fareham, beat more than 200 couples to get to the final two.

With their dream Caribbean "weddingmoon" at one of Sandals luxury resorts at their fingertips, it was down to the brides-to-be to see who could travel the furthest by 8am today.

Rachael, 31, who has been with Lee for six and a half years, said: "We have always dreamt of getting married abroad but because of the cost, we only ever thought about doing it in Greece. Having our wedding in the Caribbean would be the ultimate dream for both of us.

"The support we have had from everyone has been fantastic and now it is up to me to finish the job and I am willing to do anything that's legal to get as far as I can."

Lesley, 24, who has been with Stuart since meeting at Bridgemary School in Gosport nine years ago, said: "This whole experience has been a dream, full of excitement and like nothing I have ever experienced before.

"To get married abroad would be totally amazing. We are happy to have got this far so I am just going to enjoy it and soak it all up."