Just when you thought there was never anything on telly!

When Ivy Weaver heard her son, 62-year-old David, a lecturer, was due to tie the knot near to his home at Mannings Heath Golf Club, West Sussex, she knew she would not be able to travel the distance for his special day.

So staff at Wingates Residential Home in Chorley Road made sure the pensioner did not miss out by setting up a computer with Skype and a webcam so she could send her best wishes to Mr Weaver minutes before he walked down the aisle to marry his bride, Janice.

Following the wedding, the newlyweds stood next to the computer and had a photograph taken with Mrs Weaver.

Staff at the home helped the grandmother choose her favourite outfit and filled the room with flowers.

Buttonholes were also made for Mrs Weaver and Joan Walker, her former carer.

After the ceremony, they threw confetti and shared chocolates to celebrate.

Mrs Weaver, who used to work in catering, said: “I felt like I was at the wedding. The picture on the computer was great.

“He had 49 guests and said it was going to be a quiet celebration but it didn’t look like it to me.

“I used to say I wish I could live to see them get married because he and Jan had been engaged for quite a while.

“David had cancer and Jan nursed him through that. He looks very well, now.

“The staff went to so much trouble for me to see it. They really looked after me well.”

Before the wedding, Mrs Weaver spoke to her youngest son via Skype and said: “I am sure you will both be very happy.”

Mr Weaver, who has two sons, set up the computer so his mother could see the bride-to-be walking down the aisle to Eva Cassidy’s Songbird and see Kayley, her 10-year-old greatgranddaughter, do a reading.

The widow’s internet experience is just a taste of what is in store at Wingates Residential Home, as it recently received a £20,000 Get Connected grant to spend on computer equipment.

By July it will have a cyber cafe and internet connections in all the bedrooms.