To loud cheers, Grainne Close, a social worker from Belfast, and Shannon Sickels, a playwright from New York City, walked hand in hand from a black taxi and into Belfast City Hall this morning to become Britain's first gay couple to have their relationship recognised by law.

"We just want to say that this is a very privileged position we are in this morning, and for us this is about making a choice," said Ms Close, 32, who wore a black tuxedo, as she led Ms Sickels, dressed in a white trouser suit, through a mob of photographers and television crews.

The couple, who met in New York four years ago, invited 70 guests to attend this morning's ceremony and witness the first civil partnership to be formed in the UK.

On a cold morning, the party had to weather the insults of a group of evangelical Christians who had gathered to protest the occasion with banners threatening "the vengeance of eternal fire".

Fundamentalist Christians from the Rev. Ian Paisley's Free Presbyterian Church held banners saying: "Be sure your sin will find you out", and "Do not be deceived, homosexuals will not inherit the Kingdom of God". But in a series of exchanges, supporters of gay rights responded to their critics with humour.

"You need to turn yourself away from your sinful lifestyle. You’re an abomination before God," the Rev. James Dawson, a Scottish vicar, told one lesbian couple as they walked past.

"You would be so lucky to have this lady, love," said the woman, referring to her partner. "I’ll see you at the gates of heaven."

Others among the crowd carried posters mocking reactionary views, with the slogans: "Earth is flat" and "Bring back slavery".

"If there was a protest like this in London or Manchester, these people would be laughed off the street," said Andrew Thompson of Belfast Pride, a gay rights group, who added that Northern Ireland, despite an increase in homophobic crime, was becoming more tolerant.

"We’ve had 30 years of mindless crap here, but now more and more people are saying ’Let’s get on with life, let’s live and let live,'" said Mr Thompson.

Ms Close and Ms Sickels were the first of three homosexual couples - one male, two female - scheduled to register their civil partnerships in Belfast today.

Northern Ireland was the last part of the UK to legalise homosexuality - in 1982 - but the first, because of the shorter registration period, to allow civil partnerships. Today's ceremonies come one day before the partnerships are legal in Scotland, and two days before the law comes into effect in England and Wales.

The new civil partnership law gives gay couples the same property and inheritance rights as married heterosexuals and entitles them to the same pension, immigration and tax benefits.

In all, 687 civil partnerships, including the union of Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish, are due to be formed on Wednesday, the General Register Office said. Westminster will sign in the most new couples, with 20 couples due to be joined.

After a twenty-minute ceremony and an exchange of platinum rings to the tune of Dolly Parton’s "Touch Your Woman", Ms Close and Ms Sickels emerged, legally bound, quickly to face the cameras once again.

"We are delighted. Here’s to many more," said Ms Sickels, who is 27.

Marie Quiery, a friend of the couple, called the registration "moving and... very emotional".

"Grainne and Shannon’s families were there and their work colleagues, their friends, their heterosexual friends, their gay and lesbian friends," she said. "It was a lovely occasion."

The festivities continued after Ms Close and Ms Sickels and their guests had driven away. No sooner had the crowds dispersed when a pink stretch limousine drew up at the City Hall carrying Christopher Flanagan and Henry Kane, Britain's first male couple to form a civil union.

Mr Flanagan and Mr Kane wore matching white morning suit jackets, black trousers and red cravats. The couple will spend their honeymoon in Gran Canaria.

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