The man who hopes to take over from Sir Teddy Taylor as Tory MP for Rochford and Southend East is getting married tomorrow.

James Duddridge, 32, a company director, was selected last month by a meeting of constituency members to fight the seat at the next general election.

He was also selected by Katy Thompson, 29, to be his partner in life.

He met Katy in Swaziland, Southern Africa, in 1995, when he was working for Barclays Bank. She was visiting her parents during her final year at university.

The couple have been engaged since December, when James proposed while walking on Dartmoor.

The wedding will be a civil ceremony at St Michael's Manor, St Albans, with a small number of family and friends present.

Published Thursday May 27, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Echo