1957: Startled wedding guests watched as the bride suddenly let go of her husband’s arm outside the church and ran to embrace a bystander.

Gillian Gosling, 22, had travelled secretly from her home in Canada to surprise Jill Buitenhuis at her wedding at St Clement’s Church, Ilford.

The pair had been close friends at Glenarm College and as children had made a vow to be at each other’s wedding they grew up.

That seemed unlikely when Gillian emigrated but when she heard Jill had become engaged to Brian Paddon she was determined to keep her promise.

When Jill came out of the church she saw Gillian holding a silver horseshoe.

1977: Window cleaner Howard Markham stirred up a storm in a pint pot when he complained he had been given a short measure at his local pub.

Howard, 34, was a regular at the Red House, Redbridge, and asked for a top-up when his beer arrived below the pint marker line.

He said he was then banned from the pub.

The manageress said: “Some months ago we were sent pint glasses that had not been measured correctly. They were sent back but it’s possible that the customer had one that had been overlooked.

“All I can do is apologise to him. He’s welcome to come back any time.”

1997: A police officer labelled “better than Superman” by the mother of a boy he saved from a house fire was presented with a bravery award.

Pc Jonathan Vincent, 33, was given a Society for the Protection of Life Award for his courageous action in rescuing 12-year-old Aszal Khan.

The boy was lying on his bed with his left leg encased in a heavy metal frame following an operation.

Pc Vincent carried the boy down the stairs to safety. Aszal’s mother said: “We can never thank him enough.”