A bride who had to be taken to hospital after falling down a flight of stairs on her wedding night is suing the venue for £100,000.

Hellen Hetherington claims she suffered serious leg injuries, as well as having her big day ruined, after the accident at Sennowe Park – a historic stately home in Norfolk.

She and her new husband, Bruce Knowles, were on their way back to the marquee on the lawn when Mrs Hetherington fell on a set of stone steps connecting the terraces.

She blames the venue for the fall because she says the steps outside were not lit.

But both Sennowe Park owner Charles Temple-Richards and events company who organised the day, Softley Events Ltd, deny liability, with defence lawyers saying it was in fact a ‘pure accident’ which happened when her husband fell and dragged her down with him.

According to papers filed at the High Court, Mrs Hetherington had enjoyed her wedding in the grounds of the 114-year-old estate in June 2017.

The couple had booked a vintage car to take them to the venue and were entertained by a string quartet and her husband himself sang songs from Les Miserables.

After the reception in a marquee on the house’s lower lawn, the newlyweds returned to the bridal suite in the house before midnight.

They were making their way back to the marquee when the fall happened.

‘She waited for her husband before continuing to walk towards the marquee at the same time as her husband,’ says Mrs Hetherington’s lawyer, Wanda Szcygiel, in claim papers.

‘First the claimant’s husband, then the claimant fell almost at the same time. The claimant fell to the left. The claimant’s husband fell to the right.

‘The steps were inadequately lit and could not be seen, causing the claimant to fall as she could not make out the beginning of the stairs.’

Mrs Hetherington, who works as head of procurement at a farmers’ buying group, suffered a leg injury in the accident and due to its ‘seriousness’ an ambulance had to be called.

Her lawyers say she initially needed round-the-clock care when she was recovering and still suffers ongoing symptoms of the injury, which have impacted on her ability to drive.

Sennowe Park is described on its website as ‘one of Norfolk’s most romantic and impressive large Edwardian country houses set in sweeping parkland.’

It was built by Thomas Albert Cook, grandson of travel agency pioneer Thomas Cook, in 1907.

In its defence to the action, Softley Events’ barrister Jamie Clarke says an account from shortly after the fall by Mrs Hetherington’s husband showed it was an accident.

‘The claimant’s husband explained in a calm manner that he had been holding the claimant’s hand whilst they were walking down the steps when he suddenly lost his footing and fell forward, adding that it was fortunate that he was very fit and in good shape as he had been able to roll and avoid a serious injury,’ he said.

‘However, when he missed his footing, the claimant’s husband pulled the claimant down with him and she fell to the bottom of the steps.

‘Neither the claimant’s husband nor anybody else at the time made any reference to or criticism of illumination of the steps or of any other aspect of the condition of the steps as being a factor or factors in the alleged events.

‘The claimant’s husband’s account at the time describes a pure accident that was not attributable to any external factor.’

For Mr Temple-Richards, who along with his wife Virginia rents out their home as a wedding venue, barrister Thomas Banks said the steps were over 100 years old and were a ‘period feature’ of the house.

They are claiming Mrs Hetherington must have known they were there as she had walked up them to get to the bridal suite after the reception.

The lawyer adds in the papers: ‘It is specifically denied that the steps were unlit. Suitable lighting was in place.’

And even if they had been poorly lit, Mrs Hetherington and her husband were at fault in not using their phones to light their way, the papers allege.

The case reached court earlier this month ahead of a full trial of Mrs Hetherington’s claim at a later date.

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