It usually resonates with the sounds of mooing cattle and bleating sheep but a week tomorrow Skipton Auction Mart will make history when a local couple tie the knot and say "I do".

Stuart Clarkson and Lara Schmidt will become the first sweethearts to marry at the market, which has just been granted a licence to hold civil wedding ceremonies.

A hundred guests will gather in the market, which has been refurbished with new seats, heating, lighting and a sound system and doubles up as The Mart Theatre.

Mr Clarkson, 24, works as a public relations officer with Cambridgeshire Police while his 23-year-old bride-to-be is a veterinary student at Cambridge University.

The non-religious couple wanted to break with tradition but needed a venue large enough for family and friends.

"We actually approached the mart last summer when we were looking round for venues," explained Mr Clarkson.

"We wanted to have a civil ceremony but places like register offices only seat 25 people. We wanted something a bit different and so the mart put in an application for weddings and now they've got approval.

"We didn't want anything too traditional or a church wedding because we're not religious. We wanted something memorable and certainly the reaction has been very good and people are looking forward to coming along."

Mr Clarkson said he and Miss Schmidt had hit on the idea of the agricultural location together.

"Lara is studying to be a vet and so I suppose it's quite apt really," he added. "We like to buy British meat to support the farming industry so we've also made sure there will be local produce being served up at the reception."

Mr Clarkson - whose family roots in Silsden go back to the 1600s - was head boy at Ermysted's Grammar School in Skipton before becoming a radio presenter.

Miss Schmidt, who completes her vet's course next year, met her future husband while they were still at school.

The mart will also be available to hire for other functions.

Future wedding arrangements are being handled by Craven Cattle Marts' newly appointed arts development programme and events manager Anthea Rathlin-Jones.

Her brief is to turn the 100-acre site into a high profile entertainment, events and exhibitions venue within a fully operating auction market.