Couple hold wedding reception yards near Moat stand-off

A newlywed couple were determined not to allow the Raoul Moat drama ruin their big day.

Claudine Auckland, 31, and Lee Charleton, 32, were fearful that the hunt for the former nightclub doorman would wreck their wedding and reception

And after nearly two years of meticulous planning it looked like at the beginning of the week the wedding was in jeopardy when the search for Moat switched from Tyneside to Rothbury, Northumberland.

Mrs Charleton, a local middle school teacher, said: "With two days to go I was frightened that the wedding wouldn't go ahead.

"I'm a teacher in the town and the schools were under lock down on Monday with the doors locked and the windows and blinds closed.

"However, we've been able to go ahead."

Around 140 guests were at the wedding and reception, which was held at the Coquetvale Hotel - just a few hundred yards from where Moat was cornered by the police.

Chris Greaves, owner and manager of the Coquetvale Hotel, said: "There's been a wedding going on all day. They had the ceremony then dinner and now there's a disco going full swing.

"We had to lock the place down at about 7.30pm, which was a bit of a problem because it's a very hot evening and we've got a lot of guests.

"The biggest problem has been the hog roast - we had to cook it outside then carry the whole thing in.

"There's not much of it left."