Wedding car crash nightmare for couple

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 19/09/2008

A wedding car has crashed at Long Street Methodist Church in Middleton, causing an injury to the groom's mother. 

The incident occured at around 3pm this afternoon (Friday 19 September) and major road closures caused traffic chaos during rush hour. Long Street (A664) was closed in both directions between Market Place (B6189) and Hollin Lane (A6046).

78 year old Maureen Ashton was taken to hospital after suffering a heart attack when the car crashed into the church following a brake failure. The rest of the wedding party were not seriously injured after the driver lost control and crashed into a council work van and into a wall.

Witnesses at the nearby Olde Boars Head pub heard a loud bang before rushing outside to see that the wedding car had crashed just yards away from the church.

Brian Ashton, 47, and Sarah Ward, 27, were married while Mr Ashton's mother remained in hospital.