William and Kate in Bishops Lydeard: After party held in Ash Priors (From This is The West Country)

William and Kate in Bishops Lydeard: After party held in Ash Priors

8:10am Monday 2nd July 2012 in Somerset

THE after party to a wedding which the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended in Bishops Lydeard was held yesterday.

Speaking to the County Gazette from their Ash Priors mansion, family members said they had a wonderful day at Saturday's ceremony near Taunton.

More than 100 guests attended the function with a field opposite the house used as a car park.

Rumours on social media on Saturday were confirmed that Prince William, Kate Middleton and Pippa Middleton were at the wedding of Alice St John Webster.

Alice is a friend of Kate and Pippa's from Marlborough College and her family live near Bishops Lydeard.

She married Gerald Avenel in a 4pm ceremony conducted by Canon Ian Ainsworth-Smith and attended by about 300 guests.

Worshippers at St Mary's Church were also told about the news in Sunday morning's service where flowers from the wedding were still decorating the interior.

Karen Rigby, of Bishops Lydeard, said: “I can honestly say they were there. I saw them as they came out of the church and later drove past us.

“I saw Kate waving and smiling in the car and Prince William was on the other side.

“When the bride and groom came out of the church there were bagpipes playing and when William and Kate appeared there were about 15 teenage girls screaming and running across the lawn. There was quite a crowd as word had got around and it was choc-a-bloc with traffic.

“There was a lot of excitement as people rushed to get a glimpse.

“Kate looked lovely.”

Joanne Sutherland, of Bishops Lydeard, added: “My mum was going to the shop in the village and she saw Kate going into the church.

“She came back and picked me up and we waited outside the church until they came out.

“The royal couple waited about outside the church for a little while and then walked across the churchyard and left in a car.

“It was really exciting and there were a lot of villagers out.

“It was nice to have them in the village and Kate looked stunning.”

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First posted: 1.05am, June 30.