A COUPLE who booked Bursledon Windmill for their wedding reception have been left devastated after a health and safety report labelled the mill unsuitable.

Kelly Martin, 21, and Terry Wicken, 27, pictured right, are less than six months away from their big day but they've been told their choice of reception location is a no-go.

"It's a catastrophe for us," said Kelly, a civil servant from Sholing.

"We are heartbroken. We really wanted the windmill. It would have been an ideal place to have it."

The couple chose Hampshire's only working windmill to toast their wedding after their first choice had to be cancelled because of a double booking.

The windmill's management committee - made up of councillors from Hampshire County Council and Eastleigh Council, first promoted the site as an idyllic venue following a successful wedding reception last year.

But then came a health and safety inspection. Now Hampshire County Council says the site is inappropriate for more than 25 people at a time.

A spokeswoman for HCC said: "The report has found that, while the venue can adequately cater for the number of visitors it receives as a museum - up to 25 people at any one time - it is not a suitable venue for weddings at the current time.

"This is primarily down to the volumes of visitors involved, the limited staff resources at the site and associated health and safety issues."

The couple have only five months to find a replacement venue, or they could lose thousands of pounds in deposits and fees for the big day.

They are now seeking help from anyone who may have a suitable venue available on June 25 this year.

"We really need someone who can help us because everything is planned for that date and we have paid all the deposits," said Kelly.

The couple has also already booked a church in Sholing, in addition to cars and caterers for all the guests.

"We need a place that could fit a marquee to hold 150 people, with an electricity and water supply, and we are happy to negotiate over our own caterers if the venue already offers this."

"We are just hoping we can find something and that it's going to be third time lucky with a venue for us," Kelly added.

If anybody knows of a venue or can offer a suitable setting for a wedding reception on June 25, please contact the Daily Echo in Eastleigh on 023 8061 4271, or e-mail corey.stephenson@soton-echo.co.uk.