Actor Ricky Tomlinson said he was "on top of the world" on Saturday after marrying his long-term girlfriend.

The 62-year-old Royle Family star exchanged vows with partner Rita Cummiskey, 52, at the Liverpool Marina Harbourside Club.

Other celebrities in attendance included his Royle Family screen wife Sue Johnston and Liverpool funnyman Ken Dodd.

Tomlinson wore a traditional Australian bushwhacker hat, complete with corks as he greeted journalists outside.

She is my partner in more ways than one and I think she deserves marriage Ricky Tomlinson

He explained: "We are going to Australia for our honeymoon and someone from the Barmy Army sent me this hat from out there."

The actor has sold the exclusive rights to the wedding pictures to OK! Magazine for an undisclosed sum.

He met his future wife 10 years ago while out of work, having finished playing Bobby Grant in Brookside.

Ms Cummiskey, who was then a social worker, has since become his manager and they live in Waterloo Dock.

'Too ashamed'

Tomlinson once said of her: "She is my partner in more ways than one and I think she deserves marriage.

"She took me on when I had nothing. I couldn't even afford to buy her a drink on the night we met and I was too ashamed to tell her where I lived - all I had was a room above a boxing club in Liverpool."

Tomlinson is divorced from his first wife with whom he has three children - Clifton, Gareth and Kate.

He achieved national fame as beer-swilling couch potato Jim Royle.

He has also starred in films including Ken Loach's Riff Raff and Raining Stones as well as TV shows like Clocking Off, Cracker and Playing The Field.