Love And Marriage

Worcester, England, Sophie Clarke, 29, an accountant had spent three years preparing and calculating for her wedding to porn shop manager Karl Woods, 36.

A traditional horse and carriage arrived at her house at 12.30pm to take her and her father, Bob Clarke, 56, to their wedding at nearby St Leonard's Church in Bretforton.

But during the journey, the horse bolted after becoming scared by the oncoming traffic and the driver of the carriage and his assistant both fell off.

Meanwhile, the wedding guests waited at the church until a giggling passer-by told them the news and a friend rushed the groom to the scene of the accident.

Miss Clarke was taken to Worcester Hospital in a neck brace on a stretcher but was released the same day suffering from concussion and minor cuts and bruises.

Despite their dream wedding being cancelled, the bride remained positive and was thankful to be alive.

A tearful Miss Clarke said at her home "The horse just become spooked and went out of control. The driver jumped off and suddenly my dad and I were on our own, careering in to the distance.

"We must have been going at least 30 miles per hour, we kept going for about another mile and a half, over a railway track, totally out of control. We really thought we were going to die.

"A car driver nearby saw what was going on and tried to stop us by driving in front of the carriage but we just crashed right in to it and carried on going, that's when I decided to start screaming, I'm not paying for the damage to the car."

Seeing his daughter so distressed in her wedding dress her father Bob decided to push his daughter out of the carriage door and then jumped himself.

Miss Clarke said "We were approaching a sharp bend in the road and he just pushed me out, I didn't have a clue what was going on.

"I landed on the concrete road and my dad landed about 50 metres away on soft grass, I don't really remember what happened after that, but he saved my life he really is my hero.

"Obviously I am upset that the wedding did not happen but it has made me realise what is important. I just feel the luckiest girl alive to be sitting here and that we both got out safely. It was the scariest experience ever and completely life changing."

She had planned a glamorous reception at a nearby hotel and had even made her own wedding stationary.

Now the couple plan to marry at a simple ceremony in January with just close friends and family. No animals or children allowed.

Mr Woods, said "You can't put in to words the shock of the situation. When we got there she was lying in the road covered in blood with a paramedic telling her not to move. Obviously it was awful as everything had been paid for but I am just glad she is alright and I can't wait to get married next year."

If love and marriage goes together with a horse and carriage then they are doomed. Obb News gives them 3 years.