A YOUNG bride thought a key element of her wedding day photoshoot was in jeopardy when a 40-tonne lorry brought mayhem to a Saddleworth village.

Bride-to-be Becky Wallis had set her heart on being photographed in a romantic pose with her new husband Gareth Travis under a lantern in the picturesque cobbled village square at Dobcross.

However, just a few weeks before her wedding at Holy Trinity Church, the wayward lorry toppled an iconic 10-tonne marble monument and destroyed the lantern.

But warm-hearted villagers backed by Councillor Pam Byrne rallied round and, on hearing of the couple’s dilemma, an industrious team from Oldham Council restored the memorial and E.on replaced the distinguished lantern.

Becky, a production manager at BBC Music, was born and bred in Dobcross and her nuptials were a glorious, shared village affair.

She said: “The wedding reflected a real team effort. And the restoration of the memorial and lamp in time for my big day was added icing on the cake.

“It was a real DIY wedding with all the elements chosen for a specific reason,” she explained.

“For example, my father, Richard, placed an arch of bicycle wheels he had made over the church doors to underpin Gareth’s and my love of mountain biking.”

Villagers were invited to the wedding in church for the service, conducted by Rev John Rosedale, Saddleworth’s team Vicar, and then all shared prosecco and cake made by Becky’s mother Caroline with the help of some of her close friends.

The church choir, where Becky is a member, sang during the ceremony accompanied by Hilary Henderson, Becky’s primary school music teacher, and her uncle, Martyn Parfect played the Adagio from Mozart's clarinet concerto.

Becky added: “Church members helped the family to clear the churchyard of leaves and clean the flags on the days before the wedding and assisted with flower arranging.

“And villagers helped with the set up and clear up at Dobcross band club and donated chair covers and bows to help transform the band club into a wedding venue.

“We would like to thank everyone, the council, E.on and Cllr Byrne for all their efforts to make it a day to remember.”

At the band club 130 guests enjoyed a three-course meal prepared by Manns Wharf and partied the night away with live band, The Driscolls, and Becky even joined in for one of the songs in keeping with the wedding’s musical theme.