Cop saves brides blushes

A policeman saved a bride's big day by driving her to Bath Register Office in his Skoda patrol car after her vintage Mk V Jaguar broke down en-route to her home. Pc Phil Thornley was on patrol in Odd Down when he spotted the car decorated with ribbons at the side of the road.

Realising the driver had problems he transferred the ribbons to his car and went to collect Philippa Mark, 29.After checking the decorated patrol car was not a practical joke by the best man she accepted the lift.

Ms Mark, 29, said she was shocked when she looked out of her flat window to find a marked police patrol car - complete with white ribbons.

She said: "I was waiting for my wedding car to arrive, expecting a beautiful Jaguar. I was a bit nervous and very excited. "I looked out of the window and at the exact time the wedding car was supposed to arrive a police car pulled up."

Ms Mark said she feared it may have been a joke being played by her husband-to-be's best man, but got in once the situation had been explained, even though she had some reservations about her new carriage.

She said: "The door to the car was opened for me and I looked at the back seat and said 'I can't sit on that in my wedding gown'. So my step-dad went upstairs to get a sheet for me to sit on."

Pc Thornley said: "The city centre was extremely busy with traffic and pedestrians. As we slowly made our way around the one-way system, lots of people were pointing and staring, and wishing the bride luck."

"I've taken pregnant women to hospital in the past during the course of my duties, but this was the first time I'd ever turned chauffeur for a bride," he said.