A GROOM warmed up for his wedding day — by completing a 5km run with his vicar father just 90 mintues before the service.

Josh Thomas was married by his dad Keith less than two hours after the pair had completed the weekly Park Run in Leverhulme Park.

They were joined by best man Andrew Weavers and a group of 18 friends and family on the run.

Mr Thomas insisted his bride Emma Henrick was happy with his plan and said he did the run — complete with a “Groom” label on the back of his T-shirt — to tackle any pre-wedding jitters.

He said: “This was my 21st run of the year as I’ve done it virtually every weekend.

“I just thought if I had been at home I would have panicked and worried.

“As it happened, it was a perfect day.

“I thought Emma would warn me off and say ‘don’t hurt yourself’ but she was quite happy for me to do the run and I wanted to do it.”

His 58-year-old father, who performed the service at Christ Church, Egerton, completed the run just behind his son and best man, who both finished in 25 minutes and three seconds.

Mr Thomas, a member of Darwen Running Club, said completing the run did not give him much time to get ready for the wedding.

The 29-year-old from Darwen, added: “We left the run at 9.45am and I was on my way to the church by 11.15am.

“In that time I had to get back home, shower and change. It was a bit tight.”

Mr Thomas and his new wife, aged 27, met at teacher training college, and more than 100 guests attended the wedding service.

The couple, who are both teachers, jetted off for a four-day honeymoon in Paris on August 26.