Growing like mushroom, Cheeky Girl's love for MP

5:40am Monday 8th January 2007

The mother of the Cheeky Girls has described her daughter's love affair with MP Lembit Opik as "like a growing mushroom - it can only get bigger".

Transylvanian Margit Irimia Semeal said she welcomed the politician into her family with open arms after he fell for Gabriela, 24.

From her home in Rye, Mrs Irimia described how she has carefully followed each milestone in the budding romance, even marking on her calendar the day they consummated their relationship.

The 50-year-old former medical assistant, who moved to the UK in 1995, said: "It's really romantic. It's not every day you find something like that.

"It's so genuine. Lembit's so protective. They walk along the street and he always makes sure she's not on the edge of the pavement. He treats her like a china doll."

Mr Opik, 41, is said to have fallen in love at first sight with Gabriela, above, one half of the pop duo the Cheeky Girls, after meeting her at a party for Channel Five's All Star Talent Show, where he had played the harmonica.

Since then the couple, who call each other Cheeky and Lem, have been inseparable despite animosity from weather girl Sian Lloyd, Mr Opik's ex-fiance.

Mrs Irimia revealed how Mr Opik, Lib Dem spokesman for Wales and Northern Ireland, adored Gabriela and had even given over a room in his house so that her identical twin sister Monica can stay whenever she likes.