Church repairs devastate couple

Reporter: USMA RAJA
Date online: 07 August 2009

‘Our wedding day is in ruins’, says bride

A BRIDE-TO-BE says her wedding day is in tatters because the church she was due to marry in is covered in scaffolding for repair work.

Gemma Nuttall (25), of Austen Walk, Sholver, plans to marry her long-term boyfriend Anthony Hufton at St Thomas’s Church, Moorside, in two weeks time.

But she says they have been left devastated as at the time of the booking, they were not told the Glebe Lane church would be undergoing repair work in the same week as their wedding.

Miss Nuttall, a mother-of-two explained: “The church is completely covered in scaffolding and surrounded by a fence.

“We’ve not had any kind of help from the church. Our big day is in ruins and it won’t be a pleasant sight taking photographs with all the scaffolding in the background.”

She said: “We booked the church last October and were given no warning about the repair work. You only get married once and it’s the last thing you would want.

“It won’t be nice for the guests as the scaffolding is covering three-quarters of the building.”

Miss Nuttall added: “This is a family church and it means everything to us to get married there. Anthony’s father had his funeral service there.

“We have been told we can’t have any kind of deductions regardless of its state inside and out.

“We have been told the scaffolding will remain on site until December. We are absolutely devastated and there is no way we can find an alternative venue at short notice and without extra costs.

“We paid £400 to tie-the-knot there, but it looks like £200 worth.”

Church warden Lynn Weston said: “The work has been ongoing by English Heritage since May.

“We had anticipated the scaffolding would be down by the beginning of August, but because more work is needed on the roof, it will continue until September.

“However, other weddings have taken place as normal. We have put up more flowers to make the church look pretty for their special day.”