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Bride's wedding day turns to tragedy as her father suffers fatal heart attack during his speech

Charlotte Galbraith was enjoying what was meant to be the happiest day of her life when her dad Alan Bates suffered a heart attack as he gave his father-of-the-bride speech

A bride has described how her special day turned to tragedy - when her father collapsed and later died while giving his speech.

Charlotte Galbraith was enjoying what was meant to be the happiest day of her life when her dad Alan Bates suffered a heart attack as he gave his father-of-the-bride speech.

Friends of the couple rushed to help the 65-year-old and he was quickly transferred from the wedding to hospital, but he died the same evening.

Charlotte, 36 - who had posed for family wedding pictures minutes before the tragedy - cut short her big day to be by her father's side in hospital, but was told there was nothing that could be done.

The newlywed bride, who had married husband Steve, 42, said there was 'screaming and panicking' when her father fell to the floor during his speech at the Craiglands Hotel in Ilkley, West Yorks.

Distraught Charlotte said: 'Everything was fine during the ceremony and the photos. We had drinks and canapes then we went in to sit down.'

Speeches were held before the meal and, as Mr Bates started to read his, Charlotte said: 'He just stopped talking. He fell to the floor and there was just screaming and panicking.

'I got rushed out of the room by one of my best friends and was sitting in the foyer.

'I didn't know what was going on. I was just in stunned silence really.'

Friends including an off-duty firefighter and NHS worker fought to save Mr Bates' life before the ambulance arrived at the reception venue last October.

Charlotte and her new husband Steve, 42, who live in Leeds, West Yorks., with their daughter, two-year-old Annabelle, left their wedding to attend Airedale Hospital but the family was told there was nothing that could be done.

'It was just devastating,' Charlotte said, adding that she gave no thought to the fact that they would not be finishing their big day.

'It just didn't seem that important. Obviously it would have been lovely to have had an evening do, but at the end of the day, the most important thing was my dad walked me down the aisle and saw us get married, and that we are married.'

Stunned wedding guests remained in the hotel - and came up with the idea to fundraise in Mr Bates' memory.

A few weeks later, the couple, their best man, two bridesmaids and some wedding guests ran the Leeds Abbey Dash, dressed in Huddersfield Town shirts to raise £1,800.

Friend Rachel Hails contacted charity Community Heartbeat Trust which arranged for a defibrillator to be delivered to a hotel - where unfortunately the equipment disappeared.

But the Craiglands Hotel's insurance has paid for a replacement which arrived this week.

Although Charlotte doesn't believe a defibrillator could have saved her father, she hopes it can save others.