A horse-mad bride chose her thoroughbred to be one of her bridesmaids at her wedding.

Alex Wells, 28, was attended by her friend Lianna Bourne, 28, and her 17-year-old horse, Toffee, when she married Graham Sales in her childhood home in Nottinghamshire.

Unlike Miss Bourne, Toffee had to stay outside the church during the service, but was waiting when the happy couple emerged from All Saints Church in Coddington, and took her part in the line-up for the official photographs.

Her husband, who judging by the photographs does not share perhaps quite the same passion for Toffee as his new bride, admitted he was ‘definitely behind Toffee’ in the pecking order.

Mr Sales said: ‘Alex goes to see Toffee twice a day and will spend weekends with her, so I am always competing with her for attention.’

From this neigh forward: Newly-weds Graham and Alex Sales with bridesmaids Toffee and Lianna Bourne

Tolerant groom: Mr Sales is not quite as mad about Toffee as his bride is – and the feeling seems to be mutual

The couple, who are both metallurgists and met through work, have been together for five years – not a patch on the bride’s 13 years with Toffee.

Toffee was brought down from the couple’s home in Elsecar, South Yorkshire, for the service, and wore a purple bridle to match the other bridesmaid’s dress.  She also had her mane and forelock plaited with purple ribbons.

Miss Bourne, of Kilmarnock, Scotland, said: ‘Toffee took longer than me to get ready.  She was definitely in the spotlight.’

The Reverend David Anderton, who led the wedding service, said an equine bridesmaid was a new one on him in a decade of marrying couples.

He said: ‘I have never seen any animal of any sort being a bridesmaid, but I was glad Alex didn’t ask if she could bring her down the aisle – I was happy to have her in the churchyard.’

Can’t wait for the wedding cake: Toffee lunges at the tempting churchyard grass when she should be posing