A Carnoustie couple’s wedding plans vanished in a flash when lightning struck the spire of their chosen church in Broughty Ferry.
Midwife Nadia Guild (25) had set her heart on marrying engineer fiance Stuart Findlay (27) at St Stephen’s and West Church on July 3.
However, her dream was shattered on Thursday when a bolt of lightning tore through the A-listed church spire, leaving a gaping hole and damaging roof tiles, timber and masonry.
Invitations to the ceremony had already been sent out and Stuart was looking forward to his stag party in Edinburgh, while Nadia had planned a hen weekend in Magaluf.
Nadia said, “I have wanted to get married in that church since I was a little girl, just because it is so pretty and it’s got its own grounds.
“We are totally devastated, you could ask one million people and nobody would ever say this has happened to them.”
She added, “Everything else is sorted, we were just looking into the last of the stuff to do and now this has happened.
“I honestly can’t believe it I’m totally sickened.”
Fortunately, after the couple had a frantic few days of phone calls and visits to potential venues, Invergowrie Parish Church offered to step into the breach.
Nadia said, “It has been an absolute nightmare but we are very grateful to Invergowrie Parish Church and just want to put this behind us and look forward to our wedding.”
The Rev Jim Roy, who is interim moderator at St Stephen’s and West, had to explain to Nadia’s father that the building would not be ready in time for his daughter’s big day.
He said, “I had the girl’s father on the phone and I had to tell him there is no way the main church building will be ready in time.
“I believe they had already sent their invitations out.”
He added, “They are really the two people who were most shattered when they heard the news.”
The lightning damaged the wider roof space of the church and its internal masonry and stained-glass panels.
The strike and loud rumble of thunder was heard throughout Broughty Ferry, and a number of homes and businesses near the church were left without power.