Northumberland couple finally set to marry despite best efforts of Storm Arwen

Hannah Armstrong and Scott Cowens, from Morpeth, thought their hopes of getting married on Saturday had been dashed when their wedding reception venue cancelled their booking due to storm damage.

However, a Facebook plea resulted in Doxford Barns, near Ellingham, offering to host the event – which will also double as a Christening celebration for their 15-month-old daughter, Robyne.

The wedding ceremony will be held at St Bartholomew’s Church in Whittingham despite its grounds also having suffered damage in the gales.

Hannah, 36, who grew up in nearby Glanton, said: “I feel completely overwhelmed with so many emotions now we’ve got to the point where it looks like it is finally going to happen.”

The couple originally planned to marry on January 4 and hold a reception at Clennell Hall, near Alwinton in the Coquet Valley only for Covid restrictions to put a spanner in the works.

"We’d originally put together a full wedding plan with lots of night-time guests but as the restrictions came along the numbers got cut to 40, then 20 and then eight before lockdown came in just before new year and we had to cancel,” revealed Hannah.

“Then, on Tuesday, my wedding coordinator, Dee Spearman, called to say they couldn’t host the reception due to roof damage and water leaks which was devastating.

"My brother, Andy, put a post on Facebook asking if anyone could help out and Richard Shell from Doxford Barns popped up as my Santa Claus!

"He put me in touch with their wedding coordinator and we were able to put a package together.

"The White Swan in Alnwick also offered to help and have been amazing but we felt Richard’s package fitted better for what we were after.”

Scott, 33, a highways worker originally from Otterburn, said: “It’s been one thing after another with Covid and then the weather but everything now seems to have fallen into place.”

Andy added: “Hannah got a bit upset when Clennell Hall rang to say they couldn’t host the reception so I put a post on Facebook asking if anyone in Northumberland could help out. Lots of people shared it and Doxford Barns got in touch which was great.”

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