Chopper rescues pregnant bride from rising floodwaters
A bride who feared she would miss her wedding in flood-stricken Wingham, on New South Wales' mid north coast, has been saved at the last minute by a helicopter.
Kate Fotheringham's parents' home was surrounded by water on early Saturday morning, and she took to social media to ask for help.
Her plea was quickly answered with a chopper and the bride was taken to Wingham to meet her husband-to-be.
Ms Fotheringham, who is also expecting a child, said the usually narrow Dingo Creek turned into a dam, while the SES urged Wingham locals to evacuate.
“I’m pregnant so my partner doesn’t want me to get in a boat. It’s ridiculously stressful,” she said.
“On Friday, when we were setting up I thought ‘I’m wearing gumboots to my wedding and that’s okay’, but it’s not funny anymore.”
While missing her wedding was a devastating prospect, she was more concerned about her father who narrowly escaped death in October when two trees fell on top of him.
He was left with multiple broken bones and a punctured lung, but the upcoming nuptials of his daughter kept him in fighting spirits.
“My dad had a horrific accident … he had to learn how to walk again and today he is going to walk me down the aisle,” Ms Fotheringham said.
“It’s been such a rollercoaster of emotions because Dad almost died in October and now we can’t even get to the aisle.
“I’ve had a few tears this morning just because … you don’t plan to get through one of the biggest floods in 30 years to get to your wedding.”