Judgment has been reserved in a gay couple's legal fight to have their same-sex marriage recognised in Northern Ireland.

Lawyers for the two men claim downgrading their wedding to civil partnership status amounts to unlawful discrimination.

A panel of three appeal judges, led by Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, pledged to deliver a verdict as soon as possible.

Granted anonymity in the proceedings, the petitioner 'X' and his husband wed in London in 2014. The couple want to secure a declaration that their marriage remains fully constituted throughout the United Kingdom.

But under current laws they can only be classified as civil partners in their native Northern Ireland, an alleged reduction in relationship status violating their human rights.

In August last year a High Court judge dismissed the case after identifying no breach under European law. He held that it was up to government and parliament to provide same-sex marriage rights, not the judiciary.

But Petitioner X is now attempting to have that verdict overturned at the Court of Appeal in Belfast. Read more via Belfast Telegraph