Injured soldier walks down the aisle

Injured soldier Nathan Cumberland on Saturday kept his promise that he would walk down the aisle with his new wife.

Lance-sergeant Cumberland, 26, married Miss Rachael Cryer in front of 180 guests at St Swithun’s Church, Long Bennington.

The wedding took place almost a year after he lost both legs in an explosion while on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Lance-sergeant Cumberland met Rachael, 24, in Newark three years ago, just after returning from his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, and they have been together ever since.

She was always present at his bedside during his treatment at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.

As his recovery continued Lance-sergeant Cumberland set himself the goal of walking down the aisle with her.

The couple, of Williams Lane, Fernwood, were married by the Rev Michelle Macey in a civilian service as Lance-sergeant Cumberland plans to leave the Army to work with disabled children.

“We have always been close but what happened made us stronger,” he said.

“I set myself the goal. It was what I really wanted to do.

“There have been a few dampeners on the way with the operations and different prosthetic legs but I was determined I wouldn’t be beaten.”

Rachael said: “This is what we wanted more than anything.”

The couple are expecting their first baby, a boy, in March.

Lance-sergeant Cumberland tackled Newark Half-marathon as a way of thanking everyone in the town and surrounding area who has supported him.

The former Newark High School pupil started the marathon on prosthetic legs that did not fit properly as his own had not arrived in time, and finished it on a hand-operated bike.

Lance-sergeant Cumberland, of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, was leading a foot patrol on October 28, 2009, when a roadside bomb was triggered.

He continued to direct his men during a firefight that followed.

He lost his left leg below the knee and right leg above the knee.