Six-year-old Mika, his five-year-old girlfriend Anna-Bell were found on the way to the airport, along with a seven-year-old witness in tow for their wedding in Africa

love can wait: (L-R) Anna-Bell, her sister Anna-Lena and boyfriend Mika were persuaded by the police to postpone their African trip, and were brought back to their parents. pic/AFP

It is a dream that has been shared by lovers across the centuries the chance to elope to exotic lands. But few would have been as bold and spontaneous as Mika (6) and his sweetheart Anna-Bell (5) who, after mulling over their options in secret, packed their suitcases on New Year's Eve and set off from the German city of Hanover to tie the knot under the heat of the African sun.

The children left their homes at dawn while their unwitting parents were apparently sleeping, and took along Anna-Bell's sister, Anna-Lena (7), as a witness to the wedding.

All packed up

Donning sunglasses, swimming armbands and dragging a pink blow-up lilo and suitcases on wheels packed with summer clothes, cuddly toys and a few provisions, theyu00a0 boarded a tram to Hanover train station and got as far as the express train that would take them to the airport before a suspicious station guard alerted the police.

Anna-Bell said, "We wanted to get married and so we just thought: 'Let's go there'."

Mika said, "We wanted to take the train to the airport, then we wanted to get on a plane, and when we arrived we wanted to unpack the summer things. Then we wanted to go for a bit of a stroll in the sun."

Mika told the police he instigated the plan having been inspired by a winter holiday with his family in Italy. "Based on this the children began to make plans for the future," Jureczko said.

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