Dana Twidale: Wedding con victims' big day saved by community

Nicky and Jason Asquith-Thorpe thanked all the people that helped them to get married as planned, despite falling victims to Twidale's fraud

A couple who lost thousands of pounds to a bogus wedding planner have thanked all those who saved their big day.

Nicky and Jason Asquith-Thorpe lost £2,247 to fraudster Dana Twidale and only found out their wedding was in jeopardy three days beforehand.

The couple were among 24 fleeced out of more than £15,000 by Twidale, who was jailed on Monday for five years.

Despite losing their cash they still managed to tie the knot thanks to the "amazing" support of their community.

The couple, from Harrogate, paid Twidale for a wedding package including "pretty much everything apart from the church" and had planned to get married on 27 July 2019.

But they said Twidale stopped answering their calls and they only realised there was a problem with 72 hours to go.

Not wanting to change the date Nicky said they spent "three days in a blur" desperately trying to salvage the occasion.

The couple were inundated with offers of help after a friend put out a last-minute radio appeal

One friend put out an appeal on a local radio station which resulted in Harrogate FC providing a venue and a local business stepping in to provide the catering.

Meanwhile, Nicky's colleagues paid for a DJ and an events planning company decorated the venue for free.

"It was stressful but we did it and we had a lovely day, it was amazing," she said.

Jason added: "I'd just like to say to all those people that did help us 'thank you very much'.

"They gave us the day we really needed."

The couple have thanked all those who helped, including the events planning company which decorated the venue for free

Hull Crown Court heard Twidale used the money she took from couples like Nicky and Jason to fund a gambling problem and a month-long holiday to Spain.

Nicky said: "We didn't even know that she was on holiday. We only found out in court that she was really in Benidorm at the time [of our wedding].

"It hits you hard when you see the photos of her in Benidorm and we were at work. We're dealing with the aftermath while she's sunning it up."

Dana Twidale was jailed for five years after she pleaded guilty to 26 counts of fraud

During the hearing it emerged Twidale, 44, from Hull, had also defrauded a man she had met on Tinder out of £42,000 by lying about her mother's death and saying she was a victim of domestic violence.

Passing sentence Judge Mark Bury described her as a "cold, malicious, calculating person who has no thoughts or feelings for other people planning what is the most significant day of their lives".