OVER-zealous immigration officials almost ruined a York war veteran's wedding after sending his mother 4,274 miles back to her Caribbean home.

Copmanthorpe couple Dugal and Jenna Williams got married on Saturday at St Giles's Church in the village and the guest of honour was Dugal's mother, 53-year-old Cecilia Williams.

Mrs Williams had travelled thousands of miles from her home on the Caribbean island of St Vincent and in the end made it to the church only by a matter of hours.

But it was a minor miracle she made the wedding at all due to the untimely intervention of immigration officials at Gatwick airport.

Because, by the time she arrived at the wedding, Mrs Williams had travelled 12,822 miles going backwards and forwards between her Caribbean home and London airports - a journey which is 4,274 miles one way.

Mrs Williams had originally flown into the country on her birthday, July 1, and had hoped to have a holiday here before attending her son's big day.

She found herself being sent back home with the words of immigration officials: "Happy birthday, but you're going home," ringing in her ears.

Because Mrs Williams, who works as an accountant for one of the largest firms in St Vincent, had some work documents in her luggage, officials refused to believe she wasn't coming to the UK looking for work.

Her son was still on active duty in the Army in Afghanistan and it was up to her future daughter-in-law, Jenna, to try and persuade officials over the phone that her future mother-in-law was telling the truth.

Jenna, 22, a former Norwich Union worker, said: "I was on the phone pleading with immigration not to send her back, but they wouldn't listen, even when I told them her son was on active service in the British Army.

"They sent her back to St Vincent the next day and she went to the High Commission in Barbados who were disgusted with the way she'd been treated."

In the end, Mrs Williams had to apply for a visa which took time to process to be able to make a second flight to the UK.

She made it to York for 11am on Saturday, just before the start of the wedding at 2.30pm.

Jenna and Dugal, 28, of Copper's Drive, Copmanthorpe, were overjoyed she made it.

Jenna said: "It was the best wedding present we could get really, we were just so relieved.

"We are going to be writing to the Home Office to complain at the way she was treated."

The couple are now heading off to Cyprus where Dugal's regiment, the First Royal Welsh, has been posted.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "If a passenger is dissatisfied with the service or treatment they have received from the Immigration Service on their arrival, they may address their concerns in writing to the Border and Immigration Agency Complaints Unit, 11th Floor West Wing, Block C Whitgift Wing, Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR9 1AT."