Laura Lacoleand partner, Leeds United and Republic of Ireland midfielder Eunan O'Kane.

A GLAMOUR model has won a landmark High Court battle to secure legal recognition for her humanist wedding to an international footballer.

Belfast woman Laura Lacole (27) was challenging the refusal to grant official status at the ceremony where she will marry Republic of Ireland midfielder Eunan O'Kane.

Justice Colton ruled yesterday that her beliefs had been unlawfully denied equal treatment with religious couples.

However a spokesman for Humanists UK said last night Ms Lacole's solicitor had later been told the Attorney General John Larkin will appeal the decision.

Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, called on Mr Larkin to reconsider.

"If an appeal does proceed, we at least hope it will be expedited and heard in advance of the wedding date or, if that is not possible, that the Orders made by Mr Justice Colton this morning will remain valid and not be set aside in the interim," he said.

Earlier, Mr Justice Colton ordered the granting of temporary authorisation for a British Humanist Association (BHA) celebrant to perform a legally valid and binding wedding at a location in Northern Ireland on June 22.

Speaking outside court Ms Lacole said:" It's amazing now that we are being recognised, it's not just a privilege applied to religions."

Under current law a couple who want a humanist ceremony must also have a separate civil registration for their marriage to be officially acknowledged.

The same situation applies in England and Wales, but not in Scotland or the Republic.

Ms Lacole, who is also vice-chair of Atheist NI, claimed she was being discriminated against under the European Convention of Human Rights' (ECHR) protection for freedom of belief.

She issued judicial review proceedings against the General Register Office (GRO) for refusing to authorise the wedding due to be conducted by Isobel Russo, head of ceremonies at the BHA.

Her action was also directed at the Department of Finance's alleged failure to introduce legislation to allow a legally binding wedding event.

Counsel for the model argued that she and her fiance wanted the same "legal blessing" afforded under Northern Ireland law to all religious groups from Pagans to Free Presbyterians.

Without official authorisation the ceremony would be legally meaningless, he contended.

Delivering judgment, Mr Justice Colton held that the wedding is a manifestation of Ms Lacole's beliefs.

The refusal to recognise the event amounted to discrimination under European law, he confirmed.

"The state has chosen to authorise the solemnisation of religious marriage ceremonies in recognition of those bodies beliefs," he said.

"Having done so, in my view it should provide equal recognition to individuals who hold humanist beliefs on the basis of my findings that humanism does meet the test of a belief body and that a wedding ceremony conducted by a humanist constitutes a manifestation of that belief."