A mother who has terminal breast cancer has been denied the right to get married during lockdown because she isn't "on her death bed".
The woman, who would like to remain anonymous, is suffering with stage four breast cancer, and had her wedding planned for 21st November, with just 15 guests.
But when it was revealed that England would be plunged into another lockdown throughout November, the bride-to-be hoped she would still be able to go ahead with the celebration under "exceptional circumstances".
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But this, sadly, has been refused.
According to the government's website, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place under lockdown, "except where one of those getting married is seriously ill and not expected to recover ('deathbed wedding'). These weddings are limited to 6 people."
Campaign group, What About Weddings - who are acting as a voice for the wedding industry during the pandemic - took to social media to say they were appalled by the decision.
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"Yesterday the #whataboutweddings campaign team were made aware of a desperately awful situation in our community," they wrote.
"A bride (who wishes to remain anonymous) was planning a wedding for 21st November for just 15 guests, having reduced from 100+ and postponed earlier in the year.
"She is a mother. And she has stage 4 secondary breast cancer. It's now moved to her bones and lymph nodes, and she is at home under palliative care. She would still like to get married with just immediate family present (maximum 6 people).
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"Today she was refused a marriage under 'exceptional circumstances' and the rules were updated to only permit a 'deathbed wedding' in a hospital if someone is not expected to recover.
"We are appalled by the terminology and the lack of empathy. There is a fundamental legal right to marry under Article 12 of the Human Rights Act."
What About Weddings went on to explain that they are providing as much support as possible to the bride, but appealed to their community to help.
"We are supporting as much as we can but we want to ask our community to lend their voices to hers at this extremely difficult time," they continued.
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"We are waiting for a petition to be approved but if we can all share, tweet, tag MP's and make some noise to ensure her story is heard it would mean the world.
"Her local MP is Kevin Hollinrake on Twitter. He says his hands are tied unless she gets in touch directly (understandably her situation is a bit difficult).
"This isn't just about one story though. It's about the rights of couples, society, and the importance of marriage being respected by our government. It's about language, and empathy. Human kindness."
Tyla has reached out to both MP Kevin Hollinrake as well as the bride's local Ceremonies Team. Kevin assured us he is working with the local authorities and is moving "heaven and earth" to try and resolve the situation as soon as possible.
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Meanwhile, Robin Mair, General Manager of the Registration Service, said: "We are bound by national legislation and so the decision is not ours.
"We have liaised closely with [the venue] and the General Register Office to offer all the help we can. We hope that we will have the opportunity to make the bride's day a very special one."
Featured Image Credit: UnsplashTopics: Weddings, Life News, lockdown, Coronavirus