Bride taken to wedding in fire engine after car catches fire

Irini Georgiou, 23, was on her way to her wedding when the car she was riding in with her father caught on fire. The engine of the yellow 1969 vintage Plymouth Barracuda started billowing with smoke as the bride was on her way to Christ Church in Hertfordshire. Irini along with her dress, bouquet, her dad Michael Georgiou, 48, and her two bridemaids had to safety from the car.

Fire fighters rushed to the scene and managed to extinguish the fire, and even managed to save the bottles of champagne from the back. Teacher, Irini, and her party were stranded with no way to get to the church, so the fire fighters even took her there in the fire engine, complete with blue flashing lights.

Irini, of Potters Bar, Hertforshire, said: “I was just laughing at first, I'm quite a laid back person, I was just thinking ‘can this really be happening to me?’

“The firefighters were simply great and we thank them so much for getting me to church. This is one big day we'll never forget!”

Despite the excitement, Irina still managed to make it to the church just 30 minutes late. Her husband-to-be, builder Phillip Critoph, 24, was delighted and relieved to see her. He said: “I was a bit worried, because Irene was a little bit late, but it was quite exciting.”

Irina’s father, Michael added: “We just didn't know how we were going to get to church.

“But the fire brigade came to our rescue as they put away their pumps and offered Irene and I a lift.

“We certainly arrived in great style - albeit 30 minutes late!”

But there was not enough space for all of them in the fire truck so one of the fire fighters transported the bridesmaids in a separate car.

Mr Georgiou continued: “One of the firefighters had to go in a Nissan Micra with the bridesmaids and they were over the moon about that.

“We had a few panic-stricken moments, but it all worked out OK in the end.”

The couple jetted off on their honeymoon in Rhodes, Greece, two days after their exciting ordeal.