Brave bride Carol Marrable walked without a stick for the first time in five years - down the aisle at her wedding.

Carol married James Swaine at Holland Methodist Church.

She has suffered from back pain since she had an accident at work five years ago.

She said: "Each year I set myself something I am going to do. I was holding my dad's arm on the way up the aisle and James's arm on the way back.

"It was really wonderful."

She even sprayed her walking stick gold and laced it with pearls for when she did need to use it.

The couple, of Howard Road, Holland-on-Sea, have just returned from their honeymoon in Cyprus.

Carol, 35, and James, 31, got engaged at the end of last year.

She founded the Clacton branch of the National Back Pain Association two years ago and there are now more than 60 members. Some of them were at the wedding to celebrate their marriage - and her personal achievement.

Carol had a tough year before her wedding as she had a fall, contracted bronchitis, shingles and then had whiplash in a car accident, prompting fears she may have had to walk down the aisle in a collarbrace.

And it was a double celebration as James had found out two days earlier that he had become an incorporated civil engineer. James, who works for Tendring Council, had been studying for a year towards the exam with the Institute of Civil Engineers.

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