A married couple have finally tied the knot after their happy day was hit by a series of disasters.

Michael Snowdon and his new wife Joanne, from Hartlepool, Teesside, saw their wedding marred by mishaps which began with the bride's car being involved in a crash and the groom over-sleeping.

Then the vicar - who was a stand-in - took ill and a new replacement had to be found.

And finally the couple found their honeymoon suite at a hotel was double-booked.

It was still a dream day for us - it was that ridiculous that we ended up really enjoying ourselves

Michael Snowdon, the groom

Factory worker Mr Snowdon, 25, of Lumley Square, Hartlepool, said: "It was one of those days where everything went wrong that could go wrong."

First, the wedding car, a Jaguar, was involved in a crash while on its way to pick up the bride.

The hire company drafted in a Rolls-Royce replacement, but the change meant the bride was running late.

At St Hilda's church in Hartlepool, the regular vicar was on holiday and had arranged a replacement.

Your wedding day is supposed to be one you always remember - we'll certainly never forget ours

Joanne Snowdon, bride

But the stand-in was ill and another minister, the Reverend Brian Turnbull, vicar of nearby St Oswald's Church, agreed to be an 11th-hour substitute.

The couple went to the Staincliffe Hotel in Seaton Carew, and discovered the honeymoon suite in which they were due to stay had been double-booked, leaving them having to take a taxi home.

Mr Snowden said: "All we could do was smile. It was still a dream day for us - it was that ridiculous that we ended up really enjoying ourselves."

His wife, a 24-year-old legal secretary, said: "Your wedding day is supposed to be one you always remember - we'll certainly never forget ours."