A couple who work on the NHS frontline will be driven to the airport in style for their wedding abroad next year after a Burnley car retailer offered to give them a luxury lift there and back.

Ed Williams and Lauren Baron, who are both frontline workers for the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, had been planning their wedding on the beach in Monte Gordo in Portugal for some time– only to have to postpone their plans because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Williams, a physiotherapist, said: “We were naturally gutted to have to postpone our wedding, especially after putting so much effort into arranging everything for this year.

“I even went as far as selling my car to help towards the costs.

“Once the disappointment wore off and we started to put things into perspective in terms of what everyone else has gone through during the lockdown, we decided to be positive and set a new date for our wedding, which is now June 2 in 2021.”

Motorpoint, which has been based on Rosegrove Lane in Burnley for almost 20 years, has offered to use its vehicles to take Ed and Lauren, and their family, to the airport next summer.

“We’re really grateful to Motorpoint for the offer,” added Mr Williams.

“We weren’t expecting it so it’s come as a wonderful surprise…it will be great to not have to worry about getting to the airport - it also means we can have a glass of champagne (or two) on the way which will be nice.

“Ironically, my role as a physiotherapist changed a week or so ago, so I am now field based and as a result I desperately needed a car so I could get out to see my patients.

“Knowing Motorpoint was re-opening its branches, I went onto the website with Lauren and after finding something, used the click and collect service to order the car as well as take advantage of their amazing £300 discount for NHS staff.”

The general manager of Motorpoint Burnley said the whole branch “felt for them” when the couple explained how their wedding plans were ruined.

Jordan Dean added: “When we heard that Ed and Lauren had to postpone their wedding because of coronavirus everyone in the branch felt for them

“They are genuinely such a nice couple who’ve done so much for others in their roles for the NHS over recent months.

“So when they told us they’d set a new date we thought the least we could do is play our part in helping them to get to their wedding on time.

“Which is why we’ll be whisking them and their families off to Manchester Airport this time next year to ensure at least that part of their wedding goes off without a hitch.

“We also know that they are planning a honeymoon at some point in the future, so we also decided to make a contribution towards the cost as well to ensure that Ed and Lauren, our NHS heroes, have a wedding to truly remember.”