YOUNG bridesmaid Shawnee George made it to her aunt's wedding-despite falling from the official car on her way to the service.

Shawnee, six, had been looking forward to the big day for months and had practised the walk down the aisle dozens of times.

But as she and bride Jane Melling, 28,were driven to a stately home for the service in an antique car, the door swung open and Shawnee was thrown out.

She hit the road head first and her horrified family at first thought she had been killed.

Despite losing some of her teeth and suffering cuts and bruises, Shawnee insisted that she did not need to go to hospital.

After being patched up by ambulance staff, she was ready to carry on.

The accident happened as the Austin Princess car was travelling to Longhirst Hall near Morpeth, Northumberland, for Jane's wedding to Paul Clark.

The ceremony had to be delayed by an hour and a half while Shawnee's mother, Samantha, rushed home to East Sleekburn, Northumberland, to find another outfit for the tearful child to wear.

It is not known exactly how the accident happened.

A spokesman for North Shields-based Celebration Cars said: "It is in the hands of our legal department."