Bride-to-be can wed at her village church after three-week sit-in to save it from closure. A bride-to-be has won her battle to marry in her village church just like her mother, grandmother and great-great-grandmother.

The victory comes after a three-week demonstration at the church, with 50 villagers taking part in a round-the-clock sit-in. Emily Morton received a visit from the Archbishop of Wales, who told her: 'Your wedding is back on.'

21-year-old Emily had always dreamed of being the fourth generation of her family to have a white wedding in the picturesque Victorian All Saints church in he home village of Maerdy in the Rhondda Valley, south Wales. So she was devastated when the vicar told her: 'Sorry, your wedding is off. We are closing.' But after her protest she is now busy preparing for the ceremony next weekend.

'It is fantastic - I'm so happy to be getting married here,' she said. 'It just shows what people can achieve when you all work together. It will be a brilliant wedding day for all of us.'

 She and fiancee Aaron Jones, 23, had booked their big day eight months ago at the 126-year-old church. But she was gutted when it was announced the church was closing in July.

Emily said: 'I used to sit in the congregation and look around imagining the day when I would be floating up the aisle.

'Every little girl dreams about her wedding day.

'My great-great-gran was married here in 1923 and I was desperate to carry on that tradition just like my mother and grandmother did.

'I was christened here and have been coming to the church all of my life. I could picture every detail of my wedding. It was heartbreaking to have it all taken away.'

But defiant villagers staged the sit-in vigil for three weeks in bid to make senior clergy from the Church in Wales give them a reprieve. It took a personal visit by the Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan to make Emily's dream come true.

Emily said: 'He came up here to meet us - then he told me the wedding could go ahead. 'It was a marvellous moment and we can't wait for the big day next Saturday. There'll be 116 people in the church with plenty more outside.'

Editor: Congrats to all concerned & we hope you have a fabulous day!