A FIVE pence piece almost put paid Kathleen Pendlebury and David Bradley's plans for a secret romantic St Valentine's Day wedding.

David, who works on Shadsworth industrial estate, Blackburn, and his new wife have both been married before and didn't want a fuss so they kept their Gretna Green wedding secret from all the family.

But as the couple, of Waterfold, Rossendale, were passing Lancaster on the big day they got a call on their mobile phone to say their grandson was in hospital.

They rushed back home and spent several hours at Burnley General before eventually arriving in Scotland with five minutes to spare.

Mother-of-five Kathleen said: "We told relatives we were going to Scotland on business and set off on Tuesday.

"We had got to Lancaster when I got a call on my mobile from my daughter to say there had been a emergency and to come quickly."

The couple turned round and headed home to discover Kathleen's grandson Ethan, ten months, of Top Barn Lane, Newchurch, was in Burnley General Hospital having swallowed a five pence coin.

She said: "We met my daughter Jane at the hospital and found the coin had got stuck in Ethan's throat. Doctors said he would have to be put to sleep so they could operate to remove it.

"We were there for four to five hours, but we couldn't leave because Jane's husband Andrew who works as a firefighter in Burnley was on a course in Chorley. "Just as Ethan was coming out of theatre Andrew arrived and we were able to leave."

Kathleen and David, both 51, arrived at Gretna Green with just five minutes to quickly visit the registrar and collect their marriage certificate.

Kathleen runs her own company A K Printer and Office Supplies from home and David works for Morada International in Shadsworth Industrial Estate, Blackburn.

They did not have anyone to be witnesses and so the registrar put them in touch with Sidney and Yvonne Stitchman, who have witnessed 120 other weddings.

Kathleen said: "They came up from down south to get married and fell in love with the place and moved up to live in Gretna Green. They offered to be witnesses to anyone who needs someone."

Her daughters Jane, 24, and Sarah, 22, found out about the wedding last night and her sons Paul, 19, and 17-year-old twins Michael and David were informed today.