Free wedding dress prize for NHS heroes wings its way from Atherstone to Northern Ireland

MEGHAN MALLON 'FITTING WINNER' AS AN ICU NURSE TREATING COVID-19 PATIENTS

THE POWER of the internet brought an unlikely result to a contest open to NHS workers from Atherstone and district which paid the ultimate compliment to coronavirus heroes.

A North Warwickshire bridal shop offered a FREE wedding dress, including any necessary alterations, as a fairytale prize for brides-to-be with the one stipulation – entrants must be on the health service 'frontline'.

The giveaway was the brainchild of shop owner Becci Lee who wanted to "put something back into the community" – only too aware her daughter Sophie is part of an NHS battling to stem the tide of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sophie, 22, who works in the business named after her, only took up her Monday to Wednesday receptionist job at Atherstone Surgery just before the virus outbreak.

Nub News got involved with the competition as a last minute "get me to the contest on time".

The 6pm draw saw the name 'Meghan Mallon' pulled out of the best man's top hat and Mrs Lee, who "values our NHS everything it's doing and ever done", discovered the winning entrant came from Northern Ireland – more than 200 miles from Atherstone as the crow flies.

But it couldn't have gone to a more fitting recipient as Meghan is working in a County Antrim hospital as a frontline intensive care and theatre nurse treating Covid-19 patients.

Added Becci: "It is well deserved, and as promised our NHS bride can choose any dress she wants from our collection with a free alteration service courtesy of our seamstress Karen Farrier."

Mrs Lee says there will be "more online events" while the Middleton Hall shop is closed due to coronavirus restrictions. Click here for the Sophie Lee Brides Facebook page.