Brent Council’s head registrar has retired after marrying more than 5,000 people during his 29 years service in the borough.

Since Mark Rimmer OBE started at the council he has seen the arrival of civil partnerships, same-sex weddings, citizenship ceremonies and marriages at venues other than the register office or place of worship.

Mr Rimmer, who was made an OBE for his services to civil registration and citizenship in 2009, said: “It will be strange.

“I will miss the team but I will also miss meeting Brent residents every day. “Looking back over my time here, Brent’s hosting of the first citizenship ceremony in the UK which was attended by Prince Charles was definitely a highlight, as was picking up an OBE for running a registration service that was an example for other councils to follow.

“And of course, it was through work that I met my wife Alison who is also a registrar, quite well known for marrying Paul McCartney to Nancy Shevell.”

He added: “I’ve loved being a registrar at Brent. People come to you at life-changing moments, be it registering the birth of a child or the death of a loved one, getting married or becoming a British citizen.”