THEY say true love knows no age - and this seems to be the case for one couple with a 23 year age gap.
20-year-old Ellie Liptrot and her man, Mark, 43, have been together for more than two years after they met during a night-out at the end of 2021 - and since then, their relationship has only blossomed.
Not only does it appear that the couple have moved in together, but young Ellie has also become a proud step-mum to Mark's two kids, often sharing wholesome snaps of the brood on social media.
Now with the festive season in full force, Ellie has been keeping busy getting ready for Christmas and doing all the gift-shopping for her step-children, as well as treating them to surprises.
For example, for the youngest kid in the family, Ellie filled up a sweets bowl she reckoned would last him a total of just two days.
In her spare time, Ellie, who rakes in by flogging clothes on Vinted, also enjoys cooking and keeping fit - something she does together with 43-year-old Mark.
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But although the couple seem to be happy with the romance between them, not everyone agrees with the relationship, insisting Mark ''has no business'' dating someone who's 20 and their love is ''embarrassing''.
Ellie's TikTok page has attracted the attention of hundreds of critics, with some claiming she's unable to make reasonable decisions, as her ''frontal lobe'' hasn't ''developed'' yet.
After the young woman posted a cute snap of the family spending time together in York, dozens of concerned TikTok users said she looked like she ''could be his daughter''.
''I genuinely thought they were all his kids,'' wrote one person.
''Not being funny but it looks like day out with his three kids wow,'' someone else agreed.
''This is scary,'' penned another.
A fourth chimed in: ''He looks like your grandad.''
A fellow social media fan advised Ellie to rethink her decisions, writing: ''You should be going to uni, making friends, building a career for yourself not raising a 43 yr olds children - this is so incredibly sad.''
But despite what the trolls on the platform have to say, the trendy step-mum doesn't seem to care about the negative remarks.
''It doesn’t bother me at all, hilarious how people have the time and they spend it on me,'' she recently hit back at the meanies.
''I have the best friends, career and social life, as well as a boyfriend.''
Although Ellie hasn't given much detail about the relationship with the 43-year-old ''sugar daddy'', the two seem to be joking about it a lot.
Recently, Ellie even shared a TikTok where she chuckled saying she wasn't born when her man was already in his twenties.
''Howling,'' she laughed by the video.
Fortunately for the age gap duo, there has also been plenty of support from fellow younger step-mums.
''I’m 21 and a step mum of 3. It’s the hardest thing in the world but I wouldn’t change it for the world,'' wrote one woman.
Another also hit back at the critics, commenting: ''I become a stepmom at the age of 18 and I wouldn’t change it for the world. 22 years later and we’re still together with 2 of our own kids.''
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''Everyone so mad but she’s living her best life,'' someone else added.
''At the end of the day she’s happy and so is the rest of the family ! She’s doing a smashing job.''