Thrilled at her Christmas engagement: Claire Sweeney plans an unusual wedding location

Claire Sweeney is "thrilled" to be engaged to her toyboy fiance, 14 years her junior.

The 41-year-old former Brookside actress got engaged to 27-year-old Daniel Riley on Christmas Eve.

She told Hello! Magazine: "The reason I've never married or had children is because I take it very seriously and I hadn't met the right person. I'm a workaholic. I've had a great life and a fabulous career. It would take a very special man to make me stop and want to be with them. Daniel is that person. I was thrilled when he asked me to be his wife."

Sweeney said the 14-year age gap did not make any difference to her, saying: "When we first met, the age gap did hold me back.

"But the age difference is about the same between my parents. I felt it was about finding things in common, where you have the same values and morals. That happened over time and now I never notice the age difference. I'm actually surprised when people mention it."

The couple say they are planning to have a baby which is one reason they got engaged and are also thinking about an unusual wedding venue, The House of Lords, which they can organise through a friend they share with fellow scouser Cilla Black.

Sweeney said: "The Lord, as Cilla calls him, is such an incredibly generous man and has become a very good friend.

"He said he will arrange it so that we can have all my showbiz mates perform. The House of Lords will never have had so much showbusiness in it."

:: Read the full interview in HELLO! out now