HAMPSHIRE bride Kylie Whelan would have been forgiven for getting all steamed up about her wedding.

Kylie was reluctant to use a conventional form of transport to get to the church, so her family arranged for her to use a 1930 steam lorry based at HMS Sultan, Gosport.

The ten-tonne vehicle gave several loud blasts on its whistle as it trundled down a tree-lined lane leading to All Saints Church, Dibden.

Kylie's only problem was negotiating the steep wooden steps that were placed against the back of the lorry as soon as it pulled up.

"I was all right getting here but I don't know about getting off," she joked. "Is it best to come down forwards or backwards?"

The lorry had collected Kylie from her parents' house at Round Copse, Dibden.

Driver Shane Venni had the difficult task of turning the vehicle around in the narrow lane during Kylie's marriage to Corporal Vaughan Thomas, who is based at Marchwood Military Port.

The couple, both 29, met when Kylie was working at Vaughan's local pub, The Roebuck in Main Road, Marchwood.

The groom's parents, Rex and Anne Thomas, and the best man, Grant Lowe, travelled from New Zealand for the wedding.

After the service Kylie climbed back aboard the lorry for the journey to the reception, held at the Royal British Legion Club, Blackfield.

There was no danger of the newly-weds getting there too early the 76-year-old vehicle rarely travels faster than 25mph.