THE groom needed encouragement to kiss his bride - and the congregation wanted to sing Baa Baa Black Sheep.

It was the vicar's first marriage service and the happy couple were massively underage.

But the wedding still brought tears to the eyes of parents and teachers at Bridgewater Primary School, Worsley, as four-year-old pupils staged a mock wedding at St John's Church, Walkden.

Thirty little ones from the reception class donned their best gear for the celebrations in which Bobby Harris and Amba Skelhorn tied the knot.

Handsome Bobby wore a fetching red dicky bow and Amba - whose tearful mum Lisa held a hen night for her friends - looked stunning in a full length white dress.

Their classmates waited excitedly for the couple to arrive in a chauffeur driven car, from which they were lifted on to the pavement by deputy headteacher Joan Berry.

"It was a lovely day and happy event," said Mrs Berry.

"We even had a wedding reception at school with a cake and a first dance.

"The children loved preparing for the day. They made wedding cards, buttonholes and bouquets."

Class teacher Carrie-Anne Selby said the pupils have been learning about marriage as part of their curriculum.

But the idea to stage a mock wedding came from a little girl who was a bridesmaid at a real wedding.

Mrs Berry said: "She had such a lovely time and was so excited that she kept talking about it.

"All the children soon wanted to see what weddings involved."

Church vicar, The Rev Carol Pharaoh, helped young "vicar" David Salisbury conduct the ceremony - which involved bridesmaid Alice Howard, best man Ryan Ribbans, and Logan Elstone who doubled as pageboy and father of the bride. The youngsters even exchanged rings.

The bride's mum Lisa Skelhorn said: "It's lovely that the school has done this for them, and it shows the children that marriage is still important.

"I felt very proud of Amba and loved helping her make her dress and headdress."

The bridegroom's mum Nicola Harris said she felt very proud but was upset she had not been able to get a proper photograph of him.

"He kept turning his head," she said.

"But it was a lovely day and good fun. I know all the children really enjoyed preparing for it."