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First California gay couples wed

Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon were the first to marry in San Francisco City Hall

Dozens of homosexual couples have married in California shortly after the US state was permitted to grant them marriage licences for the first time.

Ceremonies were held in at least five counties after a Supreme Court ruling overturning a ban on same-sex marriages took effect at 1701 (0001 GMT).

One of the first couples to exchange vows was veteran gay-rights campaigner Del Martin, 87, and Phyllis Lyon, 83.

Voters will be asked in a referendum in November if the ban should be restored.

California is the second state after Massachusetts to legalise same-sex marriages.

'Extraordinary and humbling gift'

San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, who has been a prominent advocate of same-sex marriage, officiated at the wedding in City Hall of Ms Martin and Ms Lyon, who earlier received their licence.

It was Mr Newsom's 2004 decision to issue marriage licences to gay couples - including Ms Lyon and Ms Martin - which began the long drawn-out political and legal battle that led eventually to the California Supreme Court's ruling last month.

When we first got together we weren't really thinking about getting married Phyllis Lyon

"We are very happy and we're very grateful," Ms Lyon said to a small crowd that cheered and threw rose petals at them after the ceremony.

"When we first got together we weren't really thinking about getting married."

Mr Newsom said officiating at the wedding had been an "extraordinary and humbling gift".

In Los Angeles, Robin Tyler and Diane Olson, who were plaintiffs in the lawsuit that led to the Supreme Court ruling, were married in a Jewish ceremony in front of Beverly Hills courthouse minutes after receiving their licence.