Dust bin married!
A HAPPY couple binned traditional wedding cars to travel to their reception in a refuse lorry.
Claire and Paul Worthy’s eyes first met at Sunderland City Council five years ago, where they both work as bin wagon drivers.
So when they decided to tie the knot, they hitched a lift on the 27- tonne council waste truck, which was decked out with white ribbons for the occasion.
Claire, whose maiden name was Fallon, surprised the wedding party with her choice of transport to the reception at the Bonded Warehouse in Sunderland’s East End.
The couple said “I do” in a civil ceremony in the city’s registry office.
They were followed down the aisle by Claire’s daughters Emma, 13, Shauna, 15, niece Beth Winter, 17, from Washington, and flower girls Ruby, five and Nina, three. Best man was pal Andy McCloud, from Millfield, who also celebrated his 54th birthday as his friends of 10 years tied the knot.
Carefully carrying the couple’s rings was their nephew Ryan Winter, 10.
Claire’s proud mum Rosalind Barrie travelled down from Seaton Sluice in Northumberland with husband Guy, who is originally from London.
Claire, 43, added: “We both work for the council and both drive these daily and it is something quirky and it is something to look back on in years to come and have a bit of a giggle.”
“Me and Paul both drive bin wagons for a living.
“That’s where we met. So we’ve got quite a lot of history with regards to the council and bin wagons.
“I just thought it would be quirky, something different, something memorable, that we can look back on and have a bit of a giggle at really,” she said.
But Mr Worthy, from Hylton Castle, was not as keen on the idea at first.
His new wife said: “At first, he said ‘ no’. He was like ‘ don’t be silly, don’t be silly, you’re being daft – you’d have to get permission and stuff like that’.
“I spoke to one of our managers and he went and seen the top gaffer and he said yes.
“Obviously we’d have to pay for the fuel and pay for the driver – we’d have had to have done that if we hired a car anyway.
“Everybody pulled together and it’s been lovely.”