Groom seeks helicopter to play cricket at Lord's after wedding

A groom aiming to participate in a cricket match at Lord’s the day after his wedding is seeking a helicopter flight to bridge the gap between his North Wales wedding venue and the London ground.

Peter Melhuish, 32, captain of Blackheath Cricket Club, is scheduled to play at Lord’s on 6 September in the final of the Cawston Press Village Cup, a nationwide Sunday competition for local teams. However, his wedding to fiancée Izzy Upton is set for the previous day in North Wales, less than 24 hours before the match.

The timing conflict arose because the couple planned their wedding for the Saturday immediately following the conclusion of Blackheath’s local league fixtures. They had not anticipated their club’s advancement to the Village Cup final, which was not scheduled when their wedding date was confirmed.

To resolve the logistical challenge, Melhuish’s teammates are attempting to raise approximately £9,000 to fund a one-hour helicopter transfer from North Wales to London in time for the 11:00 BST match start.

“It’d be amazing if we can afford it and pull something together,” Melhuish said in a statement released by the club. “The only other way is a 5am taxi down from the wedding, which wouldn’t be much fun.”

He expressed gratitude for the support from his clubmates, who are spearheading the fundraising effort. “It’s really nice to have that support from them,” he added.

Melhuish has been a member of Blackheath Cricket Club since the age of six. Blackheath has participated in the Village Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1972.

His fiancée, Izzy Upton, has been described by Melhuish as supportive throughout the planning process. “She’s been really supportive and very understanding of how much it means, not just to me but the club too,” he said.

The Village Cup final will be broadcast live on BBC Two and the BBC Sport website.