A YOUNG bridesmaid has walked up the aisle on her sister's wedding day just ten hours after giving birth to a baby girl.

Maid-of-honour Anne-Marie Bunn, 19, went into labour in the early hours of the big day and gave birth to Skyla Pitman at 5.12am, at Lincoln County Hospital.

She said: "I had been booked in to be induced at 8.15am on the day of Nina's wedding and we'd hoped that I would make it to the ceremony on time.

"But I went into labour on my own – just a day late. We wanted the baby to arrive early, so that she could be a bridesmaid as I already knew that I was having a little girl. We had even bought a white dress for her to wear on the day."

Skyla was the seventh and youngest bridesmaid in the wedding party and at only ten hours old and weighing 7lb 10oz, she was taken down the aisle by her dad, Tee-Jay Pitman.

Earlier in the day, family members were unsure whether mum and baby would be able to make the ceremony as by noon, Miss Bunn and Skyla had yet to be discharged. Miss Bunn said: "After I had the baby, we asked if I could go home soon because I wanted to be there for the wedding at 3pm and they said that they weren't sure if I'd be able to go.

"But in the end they let me leave at about 2pm and we got home just as the horse and cart arrived to take us to the church. It was a crazy day, and everything just happened so fast"

The bride, Nina Davies, who celebrated her 26th birthday that day, was also concerned her mother would be unable to make it to the wedding, as she was at the hospital with the new mum.

She said: "It was very stressful during the day, as we weren't sure if they'd make it.

"But we kept up with them through text message and we were so happy when they said they were leaving the hospital.

"I was pleased Anne-Marie could be there after only just having Skyla as having my sister and my newborn niece there as bridesmaids made my day to be honest"

The day was made even more emotional when family later realised that the horse that took them to the church was the same horse that had taken their grandfather to his final resting place, just a few years before.

Tammy Brown, the bride's cousin and wedding photographer said: "It was such a highly emotional day, especially when we found out about the horse.

"Grandad would have been so proud of Anne-Marie and having mum and baby there made it amazing."