o A man and a woman died preparing fireworks for a display at a wedding celebration in Ecclerigg, Cunbria, after an explosion and fire in a shed where the fireworks were stored.

Firework technician Andrew Coates, 41, and Polly Connor,46, died in the accident on Saturday August 30 at an event to mark the wedding of John Simpson, 61, an insurance broker who had a licence to store up to a ton of fireworks.

 

o A 17 year-old boy from Hinckley, Leics, Callum Howkins, who had been best man at his father’s wedding in Mauritius, drowned while swimming with dolphins.

The accident happened in Tamarin Bay, a local dive spot, on August 29 and an employee of the holiday boat company was arrested and charged with involuntary homicide, and released on bail. The teenager is the 13th person to die in the waters off Mauritius this year.

 

o A bride and her uncle were attacked and injured by male guests from another wedding party when they tried to use the bar at Fanhams Hall Hotel, Ware, Herts, a popular wedding venue.

The attack took place at 1.45am on Sunday August 10 and Herts police arrested two men aged 35 and 41 on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm, who were then released on bail pending further inquiries. The Wedding Planner magazine subsequently reported that the police have appealed for witnesses.