I think we can all agree, fire alarms are a good thing. Perfectly true that is, if there is a fire, a trifle bothersome to say the least, if there is not.

A recent wedding was going so very well, up until the bride and groom began to walk happily down the aisle as husband and wife. I’ve heard all manner of music to accompany this important part of any wedding, but this was going to be different. Just as the bride was handed her bouquet ready to lead the procession out of the church, it started. The electronic two-tone warble of the fire alarm was loud, very loud, loud enough to drown the sound of the church organ. I never did hear the tune the couple had carefully chosen. I could only imagine the panic going on backstage as efforts to switch the thing off proved hopeless. In a fit of giggles the happy couple carried on regardless and laughed it off.

Once outside things went from bad to worse. Two fire engines with a compliment of fully kitted fire fighters arrived at the scene, presumably, in the absence of a fire, to help fight the stubborn alarm.  As a nice touch to the day, the groom had arranged for an ice cream van to be at the church, with children and adults alike enjoying a ninety-nine or a tub on a sunny afternoon. Goodness knows what the afternoon patrons of the pub next door thought of this rather surreal sight of an ice cream van sandwiched between two fire engines.

Now that’s something you don’t see every day.