MUM SPLASHES OUT ON GAZZA'S SILVER WEDDING

Soccer ace Paul Gascoigne may have missed out on the Cup at Euro 96 - but he'll never be short of knives and forks.

His mum Carol has splashed out pounds 1,000 on a hamper of expensive silver cutlery as a wedding gift.

The England hero and his bride, Sheryl Failes, are set to tie the knot in a lavish ceremony tomorrow at a posh Hertfordshire hotel.

Proud Carol, 53, chose every item of silver herself from the House of Fraser store in Gateshead's massive Metro shopping centre.

She told a friend: "Paul said he didn't want a wedding gift list because they already have everything they need.

"I know he likes silver, so I bought them a hamper full of silverware which they can use on special occasions."

Most of the silverware was specially-ordered from Sheffield-based silversmith, Arthur Price.

The centrepiece is a 44-piece silver-plated cutlery set, valued at pounds 472, and a set of six silver wine goblets, at pounds 50 a pair. She also bought four matching napkin rings costing pounds 19.95 each.

A worker at the House of Fraser shop in Gateshead said: "I don't think we have ever sold so much silver in one week, never mind in one afternoon.

"She took her time and chose each item herself. She was a lovely lady and obviously very happy about her son getting married."

Carol, from Dunston, Tyne and Wear, is especially delighted because Gazza has chosen his younger brother Carl as best man over his oldest pal, Jimmy "Five Bellies" Gardner.

Carl, 27, walked out on his big brother when they clashed as Gazza's career came to an end in Italy.

Carl had been acting as his minder in Rome when they fell out. He was heard to call his brother a "big-headed bastard" before heading back to Tyneside.

But Carl has always got on better with Gazza's bride, Sheryl, who blames "Five Bellies" for some of the ace's worst boozing binges. Having healed the rift with his brother, Gazza splashed out pounds 4,000 on five silk suits for the wedding at the Hanbury Manor Hotel in Ware, Herts.

He and Carl will wear matching gold embroidered suits - knee- length frock coat, trousers and waistcoat - costing a cool pounds 1,000 each.

Gazza also insisted on buying a hand-made silk suit from the same tailors for Sheryl's father, Richard. He is having silk suits made for Sheryl's daughter, Bianca, ten, and seven-year-old son Mason and has paid for 30-year-old Sheryl's pink silk wedding dress.

The outfits are from the flamboyant London store Favourbrook

The tailors were responsible for the suits of Hugh Grant and his co- stars in the smash-hit movie Four Weddings And A Funeral, and the latest James Bond movie, GoldenEye.

Favourbrook partner Oliver Spencer said: "Gazza's fiancee called us two weeks ago and we were delighted to help.

"Professional integrity prevents me from saying what they look like, except to say that they are wonderful."

Gazza, 29, has forked out pounds 100,000 on the wedding - but is expected to reap more than that by selling exclusive pictures of the big day to a celebrity magazine.

Every one of the hotel's 95 rooms has been booked for the day to ensure complete privacy.

The Glasgow Rangers ace has booked two of the hotel's three conference rooms for pounds 30,000.

He has invited team-mates from the England side and from Scotland.

Radio 1 DJ Chris Evans - who can earn pounds 10,000 a gig - will host the evening disco for free. TV's Danny Baker is among the guests.

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