A LESBIAN couple from York have vowed to carry on campaigning to get same-sex marriages legally recognised.

But Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson said they did not have the cash to fund any further court action.

The university professors already face a £25,000 bill after their legal Canadian marriage was declared invalid by the High Court's Family Division, in July.

To challenge that decision in the Court of Appeal would cost at least that amount.

Instead, the couple will now campaign in other ways - including giving a speech at the York Lesbian Arts Festival on Friday.

"As we cannot pursue a legal challenge, we will campaign in other ways instead," said Ms Kitzinger, 49, a professor at the University of York.

Ms Wilkinson, 52, a professor at Loughborough University, said: "Our marriage is too important to simply give up. We will continue to fight for equal marriage rights for ourselves and other same-sex couples."

Earlier this year, The Press reported the couple's court battle to win recognition in this country for their marriage in Vancouver, Canada, three years ago.

Judge Sir Mark Potter ruled under English law there was an "insurmountable hurdle" to their marriage being recognised as legally the same as a heterosexual union.

Marriage and civil partnership law will be discussed at the York Lesbian Arts Festival this weekend.

As well as the professors' talk, entitled What Equal Rights?, on Friday, solicitors BurtonWoods will host a seminar on civil partnership law on Saturday.

For more information about the festival, visit www.ylaf.org.uk.

Earlier this month, Peter Tatchell of the lesbian and gay rights group OutRage!, paid tribute to the couple.

He said: "We thank Sue and Celia for mounting an important, historic legal challenge to the ban on same-sex marriage. They are true pioneers in the battle for lesbian and gay equality.

"Sue and Celia have blazed a trail that others will follow. When the battle for marriage equality is finally won, people will look back and salute Sue and Celia for their pioneering contribution."