A British couple who caused outrage by appearing to perform a sex act in front of a sacred Greek monastery on their wedding day face being sued after foreign marriages were banned in Rhodes in retaliation.

Matthew Lunn posted a photo of his new wife Carly knelt in her white dress as he had his trousers and boxer shorts around his ankles while punching the air.

Tow truck driver Matthew, 27, and 34-year-old shop worker Carly, from Birmingham, said they posed for the cheeky snap to show their unique sense of humour in their wedding album.

But his grandfather has failed to the see the funny side, telling MailOnline: 'I'm disgusted.'

Near the harbour, the bride kneeled in front of her new husband and appeared to perform a sex act on him in her wedding dress, while he had his trousers and boxers down to his ankles - punching the air

Matthew Lunn, 27, and his wife Carly, 34, from Birmingham, got married in one of the holiest sites in Greece, on the island of Rhodes

But now the island's top bishop, Kyrillos of Rhodes, has decided to ban all foreign weddings at the monastery of St Paul (pictured) - forcing hundreds of British couples to cancel their dream days

Near the harbour, the bride knelt in front of her new husband - who works for his father's car recovery firm - and appeared to perform a sex act on him in her wedding dress, while he had his trousers and boxers down to his ankles.

The picture, which was taken by one of Matthew's family members, was posted on Facebook and immediately went viral.

But now the island's top bishop, Kyrillos of Rhodes, has decided to ban all foreign weddings at the monastery of St Paul - forcing hundreds of British couples to cancel their dream days.

Giorgos Eleftheriou, president of the local Lindos community in Rhodes, told The Times: 'We are Greek and we cherish our traditions and the sanctity of our religious sites. We cannot allow this disgusting behaviour to prevail.'

'I have hundreds of soon-to-be brides from Britain and all over the world calling me today in tears because of this decision.

'Shame on those two for the damage they have done. Would they have done the same in their homeland; in front of a British chapel, a Jewish temple, a Muslim mosque? They would have been beheaded by Muslims!'

The picture, which was taken by one of Matthew's family members, was posted on Facebook and immediately went viral. Pictured is Matthew (left) and Carly on their wedding day

Matthew's grandfather has failed to the see the funny side, telling MailOnline: 'I'm disgusted'. The couple are pictured with their wedding party on their big day last month

Following their wedding on September 25, Carly said they had always planned to do the photo

The island's top bishop, Kyrillos of Rhodes, has decided to ban all foreign weddings at the monastery of St Paul (to the right of the picture) - forcing hundreds of British couples to cancel their dream days

Following their wedding on September 25, Carly said they had always planned to do the photo.

After it went it viral, she said: 'It was something we said we'd do for a joke.

'We expected a lot of laughs and jokes from people but didn't expect it to be as popular as it was.

'People back in England were commenting on it, the whole thing went mad.'

Hundreds of British couples vented their fury at the couple today.

Suzanne Sparkles, 33, from Chorley in Lancashire, planned to get married to fiance Steve Arnold, 38, at St Paul's chapel in Rhodes next May - costing around £40,000.

The couple, who have been together for three-and-a-half years, booked their big day on the Greek Isle two years ago.

Pictured is Lindos town in the Greek island of Rhodes - a very popular wedding location for British couples

Suzanne Sparkles, 33, from Chorley in Lancashire, planned to get married to fiance Steve Arnold, 38, at St Paul's chapel in Rhodes next May

The mother-of-two told MailOnline: 'I'm absolutely devastated that these idiots have spoilt my dream wedding. We have 52 guests coming from the UK for it and have booked to stay for a week.

'We have spent around £40,000 on this wedding. It was booked two years ago, when we got engaged two-and-a-half years ago.

'We were originally thinking of getting married in Cyprus but then when I saw the chapel I knew I wanted it there. I've been to Rhodes a few times so I know how nice it is there.'

The mayor of Rhodes is due to make a final decision on the ban in the next couple of weeks.

The mother-of-two told MailOnline: 'I'm absolutely devastated that these idiots have spoilt my dream wedding'

And Miss Sparkles said she and her guests are anxiously waiting for the ban to be overturned and pleaded with the authorities to not tar everyone with the same brush.

She added: 'Our wedding planner has told us that the mayor is going to make a final decision in seven to 10 days.

'It's such an anxious wait for us because I don't want to have to get married on a beach. We can't change the location because we have spent so much money on it already.

Suzanne Sparkles and fiance Steve Arnold who face having their wedding in Rhodes cancelled due to the ban

'I just recently picked my dress for the occasion and that cost £2,000.

'My message to the mayor would be that the British are not all like this couple.

'We want to come for a quaint and quiet celebration with our friends and family.

'I can't believe what the couple did. I hope that he can see that we are not all like that.'

Gas engineer Daniel Gaynor, 32, and his partner vet nurse, Mandy Jackson, 30, from Rotherham also hit out at the Lunns for ruining their wedding plans in Rhodes.

Mr Gaynor told MailOnline: 'Me and my fiancée are affected by these two low lives.

'We have been planning our wedding for two-and-a-half years.

'We are due to get married at St Paul’s bay in August 2018 but that won’t be happening now.

'My partner was in tears all last night all because of this stupid immature disrespectful couple.

'It doesn’t matter to them they have had their wedding, but for many couples like us our dream wedding that we have been saving years and planning years has been ruined.

'I will be going to see a solicitor to see if any action can be taken against them. They are scum.'

Gas engineer Daniel Gaynor (left), 32, and his partner vet nurse, Mandy Jackson (right), 30, from Rotherham also hit out at the Lunns for ruining their wedding plans in Rhodes

THE LUXURIOUS CHAPEL WHERE BRITISH COUPLES COME TO WED Situated in a quaint bay in Lindos, Rhodes, St Paul’s chapel is an extremely popular wedding venue for British couples. An effigy of St Paul was discovered on the site in 1920 and in 1951 the small chapel was built on the site by the edge of the picturesque St Paul’s Bay in Lindos. The wedding ceremonies take place on the terrace in front of the white washed chapel which offers stunning views over the scenic bay. Situated in a quaint bay in Lindos, Rhodes, St Paul’s chapel is an extremely popular wedding venue for British couples St Paul’s chapel is one of the most sought after venues in Greece and caters for a standing or seated ceremony with minimal decoration or a white carpet and flower arch. After the ceremony guests are transferred by boat to one of the stunning tavernas located in Lindos. The chapel itself is described as 'an historical and religious area of ​​absolute protection' which has a 'rich religious tradition that is of crucial importance for the present and the future of our country'. The chapel was designated a preserved monument in 1959 and in 1981 the entire surrounding area of ​​Lindos was afforded status as 'a place of special natural beauty'. Advertisement

Account manager Natalie Farrell, 32, from Coventry is also due to get married to Paul Veasey, at St Paul's in Rhodes.

She added: 'Altogether the wedding going to cost around £10,000. I've given in to the fact that the ban is going to remain in place.

'I am trying to get my wedding planner to sort out another venue.

'When I first saw the picture I just thought it was so trashy and disrespectful - especially in a Catholic country.'

Have you been affected by the ban? Email iain.burns@mailonline.co.uk