A BRIDE and groom-to-be were left heartbroken when they were forced to cancel their wedding reception with just 24 hours' notice.

On Saturday, coronavirus Tier 3 restrictions came into force meaning wedding receptions had to be cancelled, among other countywide changes, which were announced on Friday.

Blackburn couple Matt and Lucy Hornby tied the knot on Saturday afternoon in front of 15 family members, while streaming the ceremony for guests they had always wanted to celebrate their day.

Lucy picked up her dress on the Friday morning, just after the couple found out that they would not be able to properly celebrate the occasion with family members.

Lucy, 26, said: "It was just devastating really because it just wasn't expected. I think it's really unfair that everyone else has had 48 hours' notice. We have put so much time, effort, money, everything into this day.

"If we had known on Monday (October 12) we would have had time to get our heads round it and we would have known for definite. It is just frustrating that they won't mention a wedding but they will mention a car boot sale.

The couple who were married at Gibbon Bridge in Chipping got engaged back in October and they started planning their day immediately, with plans to be married this November.

The plans remained in place for a November wedding until Lucy and Matt moved them forward a month due to their worries of a circuit breaker style lockdown.

Matt, 28, said: "We thought with everything staying in tier two and everyone else getting so much notice, we thought getting to Friday morning, everything would be fine.

"Originally we started with 70 guests all coming for the meal and staying over and then we had to axe that to 30 and then recently we have had to axe that to 15 and obviously that has got harder and harder.

"Then to say you can have 15 and a reception then, after 13 hours, you can have 15 but no reception. I don't understand what the difference is really with 15 family members.

"You're obviously supposed to look forward to a day like this. It's not just us, it's the pubs and people in workplaces that are going to get shut down."

The couple celebrated together on Thursday night after thinking that, even if restrictions were imposed the following day, they would not be affected as most districts have had around 48 hours notice before being moved to a higher tier of lockdown.

Many couples in Lancashire will be rearranging plans after the new restrictions ban receptions but still allow ceremonies to go ahead with 15 people.

The new restrictions has also introduced a total ban on meeting anyone from outside your household or bubble, indoors or outdoors with the only exemption being in a public open space like a park, where the rule of six applies, as well as closing pubs and bars that do not serve food.

The couple are already starting to plan a proper celebration in 2022 with everyone they wanted to spend the day with able to attend.