A RUNDOWN ford in Kempsey, near Worcester, was spruced up so a family could have the wedding pictures they wanted.

The clean-up started after Janet Allsopp wrote to Worcestershire County Council to complain about the state of the ford at the Rocky, in the run up to her daughter Laura’s wedding.

The area, just off Church Street, was gated off for nearly a year amid safety fears after severe flooding last July.

However, it was reopened, repainted and tided up after Mrs Allsopp’s letter reached county councillor Bob Bullock.

Mrs Allsopp, of Squire’s Walk, Kempsey, said: “It just looked very sad and rundown, bearing in mind it was one of the most picturesque parts of the village.

“We were keeping an eye on it and it didn’t seem as if anything was happening, so I wrote to the county council.

“I got a response from two people immediately with promises that everything would be done in time for my daughter’s wedding in June and it was.”

Miss Allsopp married Darren Smith at St Mary’s Church in Kempsey on Saturday, June 28.

Mrs Allsopp said the clean-up had made all the difference to the couple’s big day.

“We had a wonderful time, and it was lovely,” she said.

The county council cleared up the ford, cut down overhanging trees and installed new handrails, while Kempsey Parish Council arranged for grass verges to be cleared and the area to be painted.

Some of the parish council’s work was covered by a lengthsman scheme, which receives a £2,000 county council grant every year, and the county council also agreed to pay up to £250 for paint.

However, parish councillors have since said they may have overspent on the paint and the work and have submitted a total bill for £509.12 to the county council, on which they are waiting for a response.

County councillor Bob Bullock said: “Over the years people have photographed the wedding couple at the ford because it’s quite attractive. We were going to do it anyway and I went and saw Mrs Allsopp and explained we hadn’t yet. Her wedding motivated us to do it more quickly.”

Parish council chairman David Harrison said: “It’s fabulous. The residents are over the moon.”