Soccer player Andrew Sissons was definitely "game" when his British aerobics champion bride-to-be Kandy Matthews asked her 17-strong training squad to be her bridesmaids.

Kandy Matthews and Andrew Sissons with the young aerobics enthusiasts who were bridesmaids at the couple's wedding.

There were only two conditions to his agreement; firstly that his fellow footballers were invited to the wedding, and secondly that the reception would be over in time for a 2pm kick-off...

So on Saturday, Kandy and Andrew, both of Dalmais Close, Pocklington, tied the knot, two hours before Andrew got his kit on to play for Pocklington.The start of the honeymoon - at a health farm in Otley -- was delayed until after the match.

Kandy, who runs Kandy's Train Station fitness centre, in Railway Street, Pocklington, met her superfit husband - you've guessed it - at the gym. She said: "There was no question when it came to who I would have as my bridesmaids. My whole life revolves around them.

"When I told Andrew, he was quite pleased. He has seen me do a lot of work with them and knows that they put in an awful lot of effort."

Kandy wore an aerobics outfit especially designed for her in white lace.

Her bridesmaids wore matching white, navy, green and yellow training tracksuits. Andrew wore a suit for the register office before changing into his yellow and blue strip. Unhappily, his team lost 8-2 to Thorngumbald.

Kandy is an ex-champion gymnast who has in the past beaten Suzanne Dando in competition. This year she and her squad won the British and Welsh aerobics championships.

She said: "I wanted to do something different for my wedding day. Sport is my life and it always has been, so doing it this way is just what I wanted."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.