A BRIDE and groom turned heads in Royal Wootton Bassett when they left their ceremony on a steamroller.

Wedding bells rang for Charlie Cribbes and Heather Wannell on Saturday afternoon when they tied the knot in front of dozens of family and friends at St Bartholomew’s Church.

The bride, who was wearing red, arrived at the service in dad Chris’s 1937 Leyland Cub fire engine, known as Belinda, and other members of the wedding party also travelled in vintage style.

Heather, 42, of Swinbrook, said: “Dad got the Leyland that I arrived on 32 years ago, when I was 10, and promised me he would take me to my wedding in it.

“Not much happened until I proposed to Charlie on February 29, then dad had six months to get it ready. The steamroller, which is called Jimmy, is Charlie’s. It’s a Wiltshire engine so it has come home.”

The wedding transport also included a 1943 Austin K4 called Martha, a 1959 Commer Karrier called Scarlett and a King George VI showman’s road locomotive.

Heather said: “Martha the fire engine is the family favourite. She is part of the family. We have had her for 40 years.

“I am delighted and over the moon. I couldn’t believe my dad could get the Leyland ready in time. He was working on it this morning.”

The bridesmaids carried fire buckets filled with flower arrangements to continue the fire engine theme. There was also a chimney sweep for luck.

Chris, who served in the fire brigade for more than 32 years, said the Leyland had a shaky start, and added: “We finished it this morning. It hasn’t been run on the road for more than 40 years.

“I got it going in the morning and then it broke down when we were driving it from where we keep it.

“Pete Price, who has done a lot of the mechanical and electrical work, came out to fix it for us.

“Pete drove her to the ceremony, but it coughed and spluttered coming up the hill.”

Crowds gathered around the church in the High Street on Saturday and passers by stopped to take photographs of the vehicles.

The reception was held at Ballards Ash Farm.

l Wedding competition – see page 20.