A COUPLE'S wedding day nearly went up in smoke when a fire started in the house where the bridal party was getting ready.

Bride Caroline Stow feared her big day would be ruined when a grill pan in the kitchen of her Ferryhill house caught fire, while she and her bridesmaids got dressed.

The party were happy to hear the bells of a fire engine from Spennymoor Community Fire Station.

The Spennymoor Reds crew took the wedding clothes outside to keep them clean and fresh and firefihgters quickly extinguished the blaze and dispersed the smoke from the property.

The women were soon able to resume their wedding preparations and the ceremony, at Durham Registry Office on Saturday, May 25, went without a hitch.

Mrs Stow said: “They were there very quickly and were amazing. They brought all our wedding clothes out for us. One even gave me a hug as I was hysterical. They kept me as calm as I could be."

A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: "We love a happy ending! Congratulations Mr and Mrs Stow."