THE wife of freed pirate hunter Billy Irving has told how she has her “happy ever after” now their dream wedding has taken place.

Yvonne MacHugh, from Neilston, tied the knot with Billy Irving at St Peter’s Church, in Paisley, on Saturday.

The happy couple, who have a three-year-old son named William, said it was the perfect way to celebrate Billy’s return after he spent more than four years locked up in an Indian jail on weapons charges.

Yvonne, 29, told how they had originally planned a small wedding but decided to make it a more lavish affair to celebrate Billy’s release.

She said: “We have finally done it. On Saturday, I married my prince and can honestly say it was the best day of my life.

“Everyone helped make my dreams come true – no-one more so than Billy himself.

“I’d do anything for him and he really will do anything for me and William.

“I couldn’t be happier or more proud to call myself Mrs Irving.”

Billy, 37, was the first of the so-called ‘Chennai Six’ to return to the UK, more than four years after the group of former British soldiers were jailed in India on weapons charges.

He and five other British men had been guards on a ship combating piracy in the Indian Ocean but were caged in October 2013 after being charged with carrying unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

After years of campaigning, Billy – along with colleagues Nick Dunn, John Armstrong, Nicholas Simpson, Ray Tindall and Paul Towers – won an appeal against their convictions and were given permission to leave India.

Billy arrived back in Scotland in December and, within weeks, the couple, who have set up home in Paisley, had arranged a date for their wedding.

Yvonne, who took her campaign for justice all the way to Downing Street, added: “I can’t thank everyone enough for coming, for all the generous gifts and cards and for making the day such a fun and relaxing wedding.

“We genuinely have the best family and friends.

“Fairytales really do come true if you believe in them enough and I just got my happy ever after.”