Bride springs a surprise (From Stroud News and Journal)

Bride springs a surprise

A BRIDE-TO-BE sprung a surprise wedding on her unsuspecting groom in Stroud on Saturday.

It was not until Keith Burns walked into his own wedding at Stroud Register Office that he realised he was about to tie the knot to partner Lorraine Pritchard.

"Even when he walked through the gate this morning he didn't have a clue," said friend Keith Dibdin.

Keith's mum Margaret Burns said her son had thought he was going to a friend's wedding.

"Everyone was in on it except for Keith," she said.

The surprised groom told the News & Journal it was his birthday and while he suspected a party might have be planned he had no idea he was about to get hitched.

"I thought I might get a surprise party but I didn't expect a surprise wedding," he said. Lorraine said she had arranged the wedding about five months ago.

"I came in and booked it behind his back," she said.

"I wasn't sure he was going to say yes but I had to do it anyway.

"It was a bit of a risk."

But staff at the register office were almost as surprised as the groom.

"When people get married they both have to come in beforehand to give notice of their intention to get married," said Frances Hoult, deputy superintendent registrar.

"That's been the case since January 2001 when new laws were brought in under the immigration and asylum act to try to cut down on people getting married for residency.

"Before that only one of the parties had to give notice so of course someone could arrange it without their partner knowing.

"But in this case both of them would have had to come in in person."