Lovers lock in to maze craze

For ëlove locksí have started springing up around the Courtship Maze at the Famous Blacksmiths Shop siteñ and its owners are encouraging other loved-up couples to embrace the romantic ritual.
The craze, which started in the early 2000s, involves sweethearts locking a padlock, which is typically inscribed with their names or initials, to a public fixture and throwing away the key to symbolise their unbreakable love.
Welcoming the trend, Gretna Green Ltdís head of sales and marketing Lynda Denton said: ìThere have been love locks at the Courtship Maze almost since it opened three years ago and it has just grown.
ìIt is a lovely way for couples to leave behind a lasting memory and we very much encourage it ñ itís a wonderfully romantic tradition which is popular throughout Europe.
ìThe Courtship Maze is free to enter so anyone can come along and leave their own love lock and enjoy the rest of the features within the maze.î
The love lock craze has spread across many cities around the world including Paris, New York, Cologne, Florence, Dublin, Las Vegas and Canberra.
It is estimated more than 700,000 love locks are clamped to bridges and fences across the French capital, but they are often regarded as vandalism by authorities and are subsequently removed.