GAY couples will be able to 'marry' in Monmouthshire from next Monday - and five of them have already booked their ceremonies.

The new civil partnership legislation gives them the same rights in law as married couples, said the county's superintendent registrar Julie Hole, who has been sitting on the working group with government officials.

But the gay couples will have to wait 15 days before they can be united in law. Mrs Hole explained there is a 15-day waiting period, so the first ceremonies cannot take place until Wednesday, December 21.

She would not reveal where the five same-sex couples had booked for their civil partnership ceremonies, because she wished to retain their right to privacy. But apart from the register office in Abergavenny, which is the only one in Monmouthshire, there is a ceremony room at High Trees in Chepstow, and hotels such as the Glen yr Afon in Usk, Llansantffraed Court and the Angel in Abergavenny are among the 18 places already licensed to hold ceremonies.

Mrs Hole said all their registrars are excited about the new law. She added: "I think it is fantastic because it gives people the same rights as married couples, which they did not have before, and I hate injustice.

"We are all really excited and delighted and we welcome the new legislation which covers the whole of the UK and is the biggest piece of legislation that has ever happened in this department."

The new civil partnership ceremonies can happen at any licensed place between 8am - 6pm, the same as marriages, but a commitment ceremony, where couples make a commitment to each other, can take place outside those hours.

This can also happen in the grounds of a hotel or castle, rather than inside the building.

The new law will also give civil partners certain rights under the Adoption and Children Act of 2002 which comes into force on December 30 this year.

They will be able to take parental responsibility for their civil partner's child, with the agreement of their civil partner, as long as that person already has parental responsibility. In addition same sex couples will be able to apply to adopt a child jointly, and from next Monday civil partners will be treated in the same way as married partners by the Child Support Agency.

A civil partnership can only be ended by death, dissolution or annulment. The grounds for dissolving a partnership are the same as for a marriage.