BRIDEGROOM Shaun Blake said he wanted a wedding with a difference - so his pals duly obliged.

They hired an ice cream van to take Shaun to the church. And to make it authentic, the van's chimes played the Wedding March.

The stunt was witnessed by guests at the wedding of Shaun and his bride, Ruth Jones, yesterday, at her home village of Wylam, near Newcastle.

Best man Julian Doughty, who planned the surprise, said: "Shaun said that he wanted something unusual to get him to the church. So in a flash of inspiration or insanity we then thought of an ice cream van."

With friend Andy Cook, he searched the Internet to find an ice cream van owner willing to help, and found Ian Kinnie, who has a business in Darlington.

Julian said: "He thought it was a good laugh and a bit of fun and was happy to help.

Shaun, 32, from Leicester, was taken by ice cream van from Matfen Hall Hotel to the wedding ceremony at nearby St Oswin's Church, Wylam.

He said: "I heard the music playing and then suddenly a big yellow van came around the corner - I could not believe it.

"We've all been eating ice creams and it has certainly calmed my nerves a bit."

The couple are not the only ones to take a bizarre mode of transport to their big day.

Last month, Robert Hill married sweetheart Joanne Liddle in Hartlepool after travelling to church in a builder's skip.

In July, Colin and Paula Green took to the waters of the Tees on a jet-ski to have their marriage blessed.