IT was not so much a case of get me to the church - but get the church finished on time for bride Stephanie Myers.

Dad Dave Myers was considerably relieved as well as proud to give his daughter away at her wedding.

Mr Myers, 50, and his team of builders had only finished rebuilding parts of St John's Church, Stockton, hours before Stephanie and fiance Darren Butler were married by Father David Stephenson.

The builders were called in after a burst water main left the church unusable. Father Stephenson decided to take advantage of the building work to restructure the church interior so that it could double as a community centre.

Mr Myers guaranteed the work would take no more than eight weeks because that was when his daughter was being married.

The priest said: "The last lath went in the door the afternoon before the wedding.

"I think we can say there was sweat on brows to get everything finished on time."

Mr Myers, who works for County Durham builders MMP, said: "There was quite a bit of emotional pressure. My daughter kept asking do you think it will be ready?

"It was a race against time."