A LOCAL humanist celebrant made dreams come true for a River City star and his partner at their open air wedding at Finlaystone Estate.

Jennifer Buchan, 48, married former Shieldinch actor Derek Crawford Munn and his Russian partner in the glade behind the old laundry.

The Scottish star met Sergey Pakholkov Leonidivich, 31, a transport manager and published poet, on holiday in Gran Canaria last September.

With three months of meeting, Derek visited Sergey at St Petersburg for New Year and proposed during the trip.

Jennifer, 47, who has been a humanist celebrant for three years, said: “This is a touching love story against all the odds.

“Sergey has come all the way from Russia to start a new life with Derek, and he just proves that it doesn’t matter where you are born, the place where your heart ends up is the place that becomes your home.”

Derek, 58, who played DCI Eddie Hunter in the BBC soap, is currently starring in the role of Rudolf Hess at an Edinburgh Fringe Festival show.

The former police officer studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Drama and Music.

Jennifer lives in Quarrier’s Village with her husband Martin, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Inverclyde Royal, her son Ruari, who’s 12, and daughter Ellys, 19, a music student.

She said: “This is my first same sex marriage in Inverclyde.

“I marry couples from all over the world but I’ve never married a Russian before.”

Jennifer, who is a former journalist, Butlin’s Red Coat and trained nurse, says a humanist ceremony is unique.

She said: “The script is only written for you - it’s individual.”

After a short honeymoon in Skye, Derek and Sergey plan to settle in Scotland.

Jennifer, whose son took part in the ceremony by piping at the wedding, said: “It’s wonderful story.”