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Luddesdown Road Luddesdown Compost fire Picture: Nick Johnson PD1569326 Copyright:KMG HUMAN INTEREST, By:Nick Johnson, Location:Luddesdown

Luddesdown Road Luddesdown Compost fire Charlotte Thompson land lady of the Crown Pub which is having problems with the road closed Picture: Nick Johnson PD1569330 Copyright:KMG HUMAN INTEREST, By:Nick Johnson, Location:Luddesdown

HPIM0264 Sharon and Maureen Lodge who†nearly missed their wedding at Dode Church in Luddesdown because of a fire.†† byline: Lorraine Lyons copyright: Lorraine Lyons.

by Tessa Youens

tyouens@thekmgroup.co.uk

AS costume dramas go, this one bore all the hallmarks of a gripping swashbuckler.

Robin Hood and Maid Marian's families were destined to remain outlaws rather than in-laws after the themed wedding was thwarted not by the evil Sheriff of Nottingham but by fire.

The happy couple, whose entire congregation were dressed in medieval garb, were stopped in their tracks as they tried to reach their Luddesdown wedding venue.

The straightforward route to the Dode Church ceremony was cut-off after arsonists set fire to two tonnes of compost at Luddesdown Organic Farm, near the border with Cuxton, just before midnight last Friday.

The Luddesdown Road closure was still in place the following day when Maureen Fassail-Abbady and Sharon Lodge were due to tie the knot.

But it wasn't Little John who came to the couple's rescue, but pubgoers and residents who guided them through alternative country lanes.

Maureen, 47, aka Maid Marian, made a grand entrance on horseback where 43-year-old Sharon, alias Robin Hood, was waiting.

The pair, from Sittingbourne, knew nothing of the fire until a call from reception venue the Golden Lion pub.

Maureen said: "We had guests coming from all over the UK and we couldn't even ring them to tell them because of the poor mobile signal.

"I just kept thinking 'I am getting married at 2pm and I have no idea where I am going'."

Golden Lioon landlady Charlotte Thompson said: "We had customers offering to drive guests to the church. It has been a nightmare. I can't have my windows open because of the smoke."