A FIREFIGHTER S bride fulfilled her dream when she arrived at her wedding in a fire engine. It was wedding bells all the way for Kym Welch, 41, and Philip Gascoine, 43, of Bradman Way, Stevenage, who exchanged their vows in front of 50 guests at the Steve

A FIREFIGHTER'S bride fulfilled her dream when she arrived at her wedding in a fire engine.

It was wedding bells all the way for Kym Welch, 41, and Philip Gascoine, 43, of Bradman Way, Stevenage, who exchanged their vows in front of 50 guests at the Stevenage Register Office.

Stevenage firefighter Philip said: "The day was fantastic apart from the fact the fire engine managed to get Kym to the register office but then we had to get a recovery van out because it wouldn't start after the ceremony."

It failed to dampen the day for the newlyweds however and Philip, who has been in the fire service for 17 years, said: "It was the best day of my life."

Philip, who was on the same watch as the two men who died trying to rescue a woman trapped in a tower block blaze in Stevenage last year, has also struggled to cope with the death of his brother two years ago.

He said: "I have had such a miserable time over the last couple of years.

"My brother died, I had to go into hospital to have nine inches of my intestine removed, I lost three stone in weight, I have arthritis and I had just joined the watch when the two men died last year. It's been awful.

"But Kym and I have looked after each other from day one really.

"She's my number one best mate.

"I've spent most of my life looking for my soul mate and I've definitely found her."

The couple met in the Corn Exchange in Hitchin two years ago after Kym, who worked behind the bar, mistakenly overcharged Philip for a drink.

They plan to honeymoon in Rome next year.