A French appeals court has over-ruled a decision to annul the marriage of a couple because the bride had lied about being a virgin.

The Muslim couple are now legally married again even though both parties said they accepted the original court decision to annul the marriage.

That judgement had outraged feminists across France, who said it amounted to a fatwa against women's liberties.

The husband's lawyer argued that the wife had breached the wedding contract and tricked her husband into marriage.

Under the French civil code, a marriage can be annulled if a spouse has lied about a quote "essential quality" of the relationship.

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