A TEARFUL bride has thanked three local women who helped to save her wedding day in the Lake District.

Bride-to-be Sarah Holmes says the hairstylist she booked could not make it to the appointment at the 11th hour due to unforeseen circumstances.

With no-one to do professional hair or make-up for her and her mum, aunt, best friend and bridesmaids, the nervous bride was frantic.

She and a friend desperately drove around Windermere and Bowness only to find all the salons shut for Sunday and Bank Holiday weekend.

Sarah, 41, an air hostess, from Sale, in Greater Manchester, explained: “I thought my day was ruined. My friend said not to worry, as a last resort we could go to Boots – but that was closed as well.

“Finally we got a few bits from a pharmacy in Bowness - curling tongs, false eyelashes and hair grips.”

In a last desperate call, the bride rang Ambleside florist Alex Brooker, who had arranged her flowers.

Florist Alex, 37, who runs The Flower Shop on The Slack in Ambleside, picks up the story.

“To hear a bride crying on her wedding day is not something you want to hear. I had to help,” she told the Gazette.

She immediately rang friend Lisa Jayne, who runs Lime Beauty Rooms on Church Street. Lisa, 38, was at home in Gras-mere, having just got back from a holiday on the previous evening – but she immediately sprang into action.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Calling on her salon assistant and trainee make-up artist Emma Panter, 18, from Windermere, they set off to the rescue.

Lisa said: “When I turned up at her hotel, I went to the reception and I saw this lady in a tracksuit with her hair up; looking totally miserable.

When she saw me she flung her arms around me and said: ‘Thanks for coming’!”

“We were cutting it really fine because by the time we had finished, the wedding car was outside waiting to take her.”

“It’s funny because my company strapline is: ‘Don’t be a lemon! Book with Lime! We were just glad we could all help.”

Sarah, now Mrs Johnstone, said: “They really did a beaut-iful job. They made me look and feel special and I can't thank them enough.”