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Weekend of romance for birthday girl

Conrad Astley
13/ 2/2003

IT WILL be a Valentine's Day to remember for an Irlam girl and her soldier boyfriend who is waiting to hear whether he will be sent to Iraq.

Sarah Bloor will be spending the weekend with paratrooper John Royle, soon to end his current six month posting.

John, a Lance Corporal in the Parachute Regiment who also comes from the town, is flying over to meet his sweetheart on Valentine's Day and the couple will spend a romantic night in a hotel.

The weekend, which will be the first time he has been able to get over here since Christmas, will be extra special as it is also Sarah's 23rd birthday.

The Salford University student told us: "He's been told that he may be sent to Iraq in the future, but it really depends on how everything goes. I'm quite worried about it, but he was in Afghanistan before I knew him. To him it's his job and he's got to do it.

"If it happens we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. I just want to make the most of what time we've got together," added Sarah.

The couple met through mutual friends six months ago and although the pair both hail from Irlam and both went to Irlam and Cadishead High School they did not know each other before.

John, who has been a paratrooper for the last five years, still sends Sarah a bouquet of red roses on the 23rd of every month to commemorate the day they met.

They were brought closer when John supported Sarah after she was involved in a serious car crash last September, in which her car was written off and she was hospitalised.