Work to stop for wedding

They will halt repairs on Stourport's historic bridge for Marie to travel in a horse and carriage on the way to her wedding.

She feared her dream would be dashed because the bridge closed today for vital work.

It meant she faced the prospect of a detour of up to 10 miles, which would have been too long for the horse to make.

But after getting the telephone number from the contractors doing work on the bridge from the local council, Marie, of Arley Kings, discovered they were only to happy to ensure nothing marred her big day.

She will be escorted from her parents' house in Stourport by her father Michael in a horse and carriage to marry teacher Neil Stobbart at St Bartholomew's Church tomorrow.

Marie, a 26-year-old teacher at Thorns Community College in Brierley Hill, said: "It really is wonderful that they are letting me travel over the bridge for the ceremony at noon.

"If they had not done so I would not have been able to leave from my parents' home with my father and we would not have been able to have a horse and carriage.

Andrea Bennett, a spokesman for Edmund Nuttall, the contractors for Worcestershire County Council, said: "When we heard Marie would not be able to have the horse and carriage for her wedding we decided to do everything we could to ensure she could get across the bridge.

"This is the first time we have had a situation like this and are only happy to help.

Marie, like other motorists locally, had feared guests might be caught up in a double-whammy of roadworks and face a ten-mile detour because of a road closure because of flooding at the Switchback, between Stourport and Bewdley.

But fortunately council officials have said that this too will be opened in time for the wedding.