Five Sheffield stories you will love to love this Valentine's Day weekend

Owen and Michelle, who met as strangers on Married At First Sight.

Love is in the icy air this Valentine’s Day weekend, and while romantic plans may have to be curtailed, lockdown cannot stop a celebration.

Thanks to the pandemic restrictions, many couples have been separated from their other half for months – and the rest of us just wish we could have a few hours on our own for a change.

But the separation of lovers, due to war, circumstance or society, is nothing new, and there was no video calling to fill the gap in centuries gone by.

Enjoy this lovely look at historic South Yorkshire love stories to get you in the mood for Sunday February 14.

A symbol of lost love? The Tickhill Ring. Picture: Heritage Doncaster

Readers can also take a trip down memory lane to the 1950s and 1960s, when love and marriage always went hand in hand, with Monica Dyson’s ever popular Retro column here

We’re all looking forward to the day when we can eat out again – and wouldn’t it be fantastic for Sheffield to have a Michelin starred restaurant to call its own?

Here’s what the city needs to do to secure that prestigious hallmark of quality, according to one city restaurant owner.

A Sheffield couple who tied the knot as strangers, and in front of TV cameras, are celebrating their first Valentine’s together, as well as another big step in their relationship.

Owners Tom Lawson and Alistair Myers at Rafters, Nether Green. Alistair has shared what he thinks the city needs to do to win a Michelin star

Owen Jenkins and Michelle Walder are the success story of Channel 4’s British version of Married At First Sight, the reality series that involves potential romantic partners being matched following intensive tests and assessments, then legally tying the knot having never set eyes on one other before.

Find out more about the city’s Married at First Sight success here

Finally, if all this talk of roses and romance, cards and cuddles, leaves you cold - there’s always a cute dog story to lift the spirits.

The moment a dog disappeared into his very own ‘bubble bath’ – another hallmark of the Valentine’s holiday for many – has been captured brilliantly in this video from a former Sheffielder.

This adorable video captured the moment a dog searching for his ball nearly disappeared on a beach after getting lost in a pile of thick sea foam.

To all our readers, Happy Valentine’s Day.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.