Oldway Mansion, Paignton

This gentleman, a kindly soul, was out walking one day when he noticed a frog sitting at the side of the road. Being a kindly soul he picked up the frog intending to place it somewhere safe. To his surprise the frog spoke to him, explaining that he wasn't really a frog but a 25 year old prince of royal blood. A wicked witch had placed a curse on him and the only way this curse could be lifted was if some one (a kindly soul) would take him home and place him on his pillow whilst he slept. This the gentleman did, being a kindly soul, and in the morning he awoke to find a naked, handsome 25 year old prince of royal blood asleep next to him.

And his your Honour concludes the case for the defence.

It has been over 40 years since a law was passed which made this case for the defence redundant and to day 21 December 2005 another law, The Civil Partnership Act, comes into force that will allow the kindly soul and the prince of royal blood to have their partnership recognised in law instead of being persecuted by law.

Here in Torbay at Oldway Mansion, Torbay's Stately Home and Register Office there are 2 or 3 couples entering in to a Civil Partnership to day and a further 40 couples have given notice that they intend to form a Civil Partnership at some time in the near future, including a bus driver and his partner of almost 37 years.

Some times the government does get things right, even if they do take a long time doing it.