CAR MAGEDDON
Dozens caught in pile-ups as The Beast tightens its icy grip across the region
A VILLAGE came together to make sure the bride could make it to the church – almost on time – after the Beast from the East battered County Durham.
St Cuthbert’s Church in Shotley Bridge sits at the top of the very steep Church Bank.
And once the snow rolled in it seemed unlikely that any vehicle would be getting up the hill.
A plea for help to shovel the snow was put out on the church’s Facebook page and villagers turned out in their droves. Around 50 people armed with shovels and spades cleared the road, allowing bride Rebecca Mackenzie to get to the church to marry her sweetheart Daniel Hodgson.
The Rev Martin Jackson, vicar of Benfieldside, said: “It was certainly a memorable wedding. It all worked
out in the end and it was wonderful. The bride looked beautiful, though it was very cold in the church as the heating had broken.
“We even had a snow bride and groom in the church yard for them.
“The bride was about 45 minutes late, which, given the circumstances, is pretty good going.”
He added: “The community spirit was fantastic but we do that sort of thing around here but I was quite astonished by how many people came out. It shows the good side of social media.”
Rebecca arrived at the church in a 4x4 and after the service the newlyweds headed to Beamish Hall for a reception.
Photographer Sarah Thew said it was one of the most memorable weddings she has captured.
“It wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the community,” she said. The snowy scenes made a beautiful backdrop for photographs and the wedding party even had a snowball fight in the grounds of Beamish Hall, Sarah said.
Temporary gas heaters have been used to try and warm up the St Cuthbert’s Church while the heating is broken.
And after the effort the community put in to ensuring the wedding went ahead a fundraising page has been set up to pay the church’s heating bills. To donate, go to https:// www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/stcuthbertsshotleybridge.