A romantic wedding on an exotic Caribbean island turned into a Bradford couple's Cuban crisis.

Two weeks before they were to fly out for the ceremony in the land of rum and rumba, Nigel Graham and Sarah Greenwood were told their flight had been scrapped.

And they thought their dream had been destroyed - until the Telegraph & Argus stepped in.

Back in January, when the booking was made, it had all seemed so wonderful - the trip to Havana, the lavish hotel, the sunlit ceremony on the palm-fringed beach.

And, although they didn't know it, their parents had decided to make the big day even more perfect by turning up for the wedding unannounced.

But it seemed everyone's plans have been shattered by Airtours' decision to halve its flights to Cuba because of lack of demand.

"It's just a nightmare," said Nigel when he spoke to the T&A.

The 38-year-old greenkeeper at Shipley Golf Club, Beckfoot, and Sarah, 31, a Marks & Spencer sales assistant, had spent hours trying to sort out the problem.

"Sarah is so stressed she has had to take time off work," said Nigel.

"The all-inclusive fortnight at the Breezes Hotel, Varadero, around 20 miles from Havana, flying from Manchester, has cost £3,500.

"And we have also paid out £300 in legal fees to get all the documentation translated for the wedding,"

The couple were to fly out on May 9, get married on May 16 and return on May 24.

Their parents, meanwhile had booked a flight for May 14, so they could spring their wedding day surprise and stay a week.

"It was only on Wednesday that I heard from Airtours about the cancellation," said Nigel.

He was told the couple could either have a full refund or another travel date. "If we cancel we will get our money back but we'll lose our wedding," he said. "This has absolutely ruined everything, even if we found some way to get there. It's spoiled our parents' surprise too."

The T&A got on to Airtours in Man-chester and explained the problem.

A spokesman said the company would pull out all the stops to try to find a solution. But the Cubans' marriage rules for foreigners meant the date of the ceremony could not be changed to suit all concerned.

Eventually, the Cubans relented and agreed to fit in with everyone.

An Airtours spokesman said: "We were able to offer an alternative travel date and are delighted to confirm that we have also been able to amend the wedding date, so that it now fits in with the plans of the whole wedding party."

And a relieved Nigel said: "Thanks ever so much to the T&A. Without you, it wouldn't have happened."