I snapped my leg just before my wedding & had to swap dream castle for hospital nuptials, pain was worse than childbirth
A bride snapped her leg the day before her wedding - and had to get hitched in hospital instead of her dream castle venue.
Lisa Whitaker was supposed to walk down the aisle on August 5 at Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull, off the Scottish coast.
2
Lisa and Ian Whitaker were due to get married at a Scottish castle
Credit: Kennedy News
The 39-year-old said her family had come on a caravan holiday to the Inner Hebridean island and the wedding was planned for mid-way through the trip.
But it ended in disaster when she slipped on wet grass and broke her leg during a stormy family walk on the eve of her big day.
Lisa, from Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, said: 'Me and my son who is seven were walking along laughing at how much water there was that came off the hills.
'As I turned the corner, it wasn't even much of a slope at all, my foot must have slipped on the wet grass. That's all I can put it down to.
'As my foot flew it stopped and then it turned back on itself right underneath me and I heard the whole of my leg just break. I heard the snap.
'I was trying to keep it all together and not pass out. I knew instantly that it was broken.
'All that was going through my head was, 'tomorrow is my wedding day.'
'They managed to get me up on this picnic bench. I couldn't put any weight on it. It was a floppy mess. It looked like there were no bones in the bottom of my leg. It was awful.
'They say childbirth is the worst pain. This has taken over that pain. It was unbearable."
The mum-of-two, who works as a florist, was rushed to Mull and Iona Community Hospital by her now husband, Ian Whitaker, 39, where doctors X-rayed her leg.
I'm a Celtic-daft bride – I called off the big day but I still celebrated in my wedding dress at Parkhead
Medics told her she had broken her tibia, ankle and femur and would need to be airlifted to the mainland for treatment.
But she would not be moved until the following day due to the extreme weather - allowing Lisa to salvage her island wedding.
The bride-to-be, who had her heart set on marrying Ian on their chosen date, contacted their registrar to ask if he could marry them at the hospital and he was happy to oblige.
Ward staff also helped to make her day special by decorating her room with lights leftover from Christmas and garlands made from surgical gloves.
The happy couple got married on the morning of August 5 like they had planned and a few hours later Lisa went to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley by air ambulance.
After doctors performed surgery on her leg, Lisa is now having physiotherapy and hopes to be discharged this week.
Recalling her unusual big day, she said: 'I was adamant that I was off to the castle. That's where we were getting married.
'The nurses were like, 'Lisa, we can't get you there. We can't even get you there in a wheelchair because there's no access. It's all steps up to the castle.'
2
After Lisa broke her leg, the couple tied the knot in hospital instead
Credit: Kennedy News
'We didn't have to carry on with the wedding, we could have postponed it until next year. Many brides wouldn't want anything other than perfect whereas this was perfect for us.'
The couple went on their first date to the cinema more than 14 years ago and have been engaged for 10 years.
They decided to get married in Scotland because it is their favourite place to come on a caravan holiday and luckily their six guests were able to watch them say 'I do' in hospital.
And the wedding venue has even allowed Lisa to transfer her booking to next year for a one-year anniversary vow renewal.
She said: 'We'd seen it [the venue] on a previous holiday, we'd been to look at it.
'Scotland is our favourite place to come with the kids and the Isle of Mull means so much to us. It was a dream location for us.
'I am devastated that I couldn't get married there in the end but the staff at the hospital who were with me made it perfect.
'At the end of the day it's about us not about the materialistic surroundings. The nurses were just fabulous.'
Doctors in Paisley inserted a rod in Lisa's leg during surgery on August 7 and she is now working on walking on her leg.
Lisa said: 'Obviously when a bride thinks of her wedding day it's not like this.
'There were a lot of emotions taking off waving to my husband after only just being married.
'I'm a florist so I should have been making my bridal bouquet about half an hour after the incident.
'In the end my dad and my daughter made them for me and they were so much more special.
'To be honest if I'd not gotten married I would have been even more gutted I think.
'The way it all happened was perfect for me and has brought us even closer than ever.
'The vows are for better and for worse. We've been through the worse.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Unexpected UK city to charge £4.90 MORE per night in ‘tourist tax' that's higher than Barcelona or Venice
VISITORS to an unexpected UK city are set to be hit with a new tourist tax that's more expensive than Barcelona or Venice. If you plan to visit the city and stay overnight, you could be charged an extra £4.90 per night under the new measures. 2 2 The new 7 per cent tax on overnight stays will be introduced by Aberdeen City Council in July 2027. At an average room rate of £70 per night, visitors will have to stump up an extra £4.90 per night. Any non-resident staying overnight in Aberdeen will have to pay the fee which is expected to bring an extra £6.8 million a year into the city. This money will then be reinvested in the city's tourism sector. Stephen Gow, chair of VisitAberdeenshire, said the city received over 2.2 million overnight visitors last year which generated £500 million. He called the new measures a "well managed scheme" that will "drive continued growth of Aberdeen's visitor economy". He added: 'The headroom for growth in the leisure and conference sectors will be fulfilled through effective investment in promotion, events, and development of the tourism sector." Who will it apply to? The tax will apply to hotels, B&Bs, self-catering accommodation, campsites and caravan parks. For specific events like arts festivals or major conferences, councils will be permitted to adjust the 7 per cent figure. But the type of accommodation subject to the tax won't be able to change. There are exemptions, however, which include motorhomes and people receiving disability payments. Aberdeen City Council's finance and resources convener, Alex McLellan, said: "The income generated from the visitor levy, paid by those visiting the city, will provide a huge boost to our local economy and allow us to invest in bringing major events and conferences here on a more regular basis." The tax will also support large-scale events, productions and festivals through a special fund. Other tourist taxes Aberdeen is not the first Scottish city to introduce such measures but the 7 per cent rate is the highest so far. Both Edinburgh and Glasgow introduced a 5 per cent levy earlier this year which are due to come into effect in June 2026 and January 2027 respectively. McLellan added that tourists are paying similar amounts per night across Europe. "We should do the same to ensure we can compete in terms of attracting both business and leisure tourism to Aberdeen," he said. The new levies come after the Scottish Parliament introduced legislation to impose a levy on overnight accommodation. There isn't an equivalent law in England but Liverpool and Manchester, for example, have already found alternative ways to raise money in the same fashion. Holidaymakers who take a trip to Wales will be thumped with an extra £1.30 per night after proposals were given the nod.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Historic Inveraray hotel saved from going bust by £3m takeover
A historic family-run hotel in Argyll and Bute has been saved from going bust after a £3m rescue deal was three jobs at the George Hotel in Inveraray will be retained as a result of the takeover by Fyne George has been owned for 165 years by the Clark family, who listed it for sale last year. It then entered administration in spring this co-owner Charlie Maclachlan said he was delighted to take control of what he described as the beating heart of Inveraray, with the hotel situated on the banks of Loch Fyne. Administrators Begbies Traynor said in March that the hotel had been struggling with "historic debts" which crippled the cash flow of the 60 roles were placed at risk when the hotel entered administration, and it currently employs 43 full and part time Maclachlan, who will co-own the establishment with Sam Wignell, said the George was steeped in Wignell added: "Our vision is simple. Preserve the heritage, elevate the experience, and ensure The George remains a celebrated destination for generations to come." Thomas McKay, a partner at Begbies Traynor, said there had been 51 interested parties who explored taking over the added: "We want to thank the Clark family, who owned the hotel for seven generations, for their integrity throughout and their contribution not only to Inveraray, but their openness and help with a challenging trading and sale process. "We are also grateful to the customers and local community for their fantastic support and their loyalty to the venue over the last few months, and of course to the George Hotel staff for their ongoing hard work during the process of administration and the uncertainty that brings."He also said the takeover was the best possible outcome for workers and the local area.
The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
The new plan which could see under-22s get free bus travel in England
People under the age of 22 could get free bus travel if new plans go ahead. Free travel for this age group is already available in Scotland and now MPs are calling on the government to do the same in England, too. The Transport Select Committee, which made the recommendation, said it would improve young people's access to 'work and skills opportunities' and 'help embed long-term public transport use'. People aged 16-21 in Wales are entitled to a one-third discount on fares, and from next month will be able to travel for £1 per journey. Parts of England offer discounted or free bus travel for young people, such as London for 16 and 17-year-olds. People are entitled to free bus travel in England when they reach the state pension age, which is currently 66 but will rise from next year. Bus fares in England for all passengers are capped at £3 until the end of 2025. In a report on buses, the select committee said: 'England's patchwork of local youth concessions contrasts with national schemes in Scotland and Wales. 'A coherent national approach to ensure fair access across England is essential if the government is serious about driving economic growth, which depends on removing barriers to education, training, and employment for the next generation.' The report described public transport as a 'major barrier to employment for young people', especially in places with limited services. It added: 'In some areas, transport is restricting opportunity rather than enabling it.' The committee urged the government to reform the way local bus services are funded, with longer-term settlements. It also called for a national ambition for a minimum level on public transport connectivity. Department for Transport (DfT) figures show the number of bus journeys taken in England outside London fell by 22 per cent from 4.6 billion in 2009 to 3.6 billion in 2024. Labour MP Ruth Cadbury, who chairs the committee, said: 'Those most affected by unreliable or even non-existent buses include the young, who need them to get to school, college, university and their first jobs. 'Denying young people these experiences denies them their life chances. 'We call for a universal, free bus pass for all under-22s to equalise opportunity. 'While the bus fare caps have been beneficial, the government has yet to spell out a coherent strategy of what they aim to achieve, and whether more targeted options could produce better outcomes. 'While the government's Bus Services Bill contains positive ideas, the Transport Committee's report says ministers should go further to get bums back on seats.' The Bill, which is going through Parliament, will lead to an overhaul of buses, such as by giving all local transport authorities new powers to run their own services. It will also reduce some of the red tape involved in bus franchising, including reducing the minimum period between local areas taking control of services and being allowed to start operations. The DfT has been approached for a comment.
