Wedding couple get special Town Moor helicopter landing

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-34620264

Version 0 of 1.

A couple got special permission to land a helicopter in a field in Newcastle so they could get married and then fly 160 miles (257km) home for their party.

Derek Johnston, who was born in Gateshead, said the Town Moor had a "special place" in his childhood so asked if he could land on the field.

He and wife Denise flew to the city with their four children to get married at the civic centre on Friday.

Mrs Johnston said it was a "dream come true".

Cows are a common sight on the Town Moor, which is used as pasture land, so Mrs Johnston brought plastic bags to protect her wedding shoes.

She said: "It was a bit treacherous but I survived.

"I thought it was never going to work [the helicopter flight]. But actually, this has been absolutely amazing, it's a dream come true.

"We just wanted to make it extra special... we didn't thing it was going to come off."

The couple spent 90 minutes in Newcastle before flying straight home to Nottingham to celebrate with their friends and family at their reception.

Commercial pilot for East Midlands Helicopters Matthew Morris flew the couple to Newcastle. He said it was "quite strange", but the cows "didn't seem too bothered".

The couple's story was captured as part of a year-long BBC Newcastle project about the Town Moor.