When it comes to choosing wedding venues, here’s one where you can literally take your pick...

For the first time, couples can tie the knot 140 metres underground in the tunnels of our old coal mines.

The National Coal Mining Museum near Grange Moor has opened its pits to be used for weddings after being granted a licence to conduct civil ceremonies, which was gained when one staff member chose it as her dream venue.

Sharon Hinchliffe chose to walk down the aisle in the mine due to her family history of working down the pit.

Bride-to-be Sharon, from Netherton, near Horbury, will be marrying fiancé Alan Torr, 68, in the depths of the mine.

READ MORE: Five unusual wedding venues around Huddersfield

She said: “My father was a miner, and his father and my mother’s father.

“I thought I would like to do something different, and wondered what it would be like to get married underground.

“My partner really liked the idea, so they applied for a licence and it’s all gone from there.”

Sharon, 57, works as a booking officer at the Museum and will be holding her reception above ground in the NCM’s Caphouse Suite.

She added: “The guests have all been asking if they’ll get dirty, so I’ve had to sort out lots of clear plastic ponchoes for them.”

The ceremony will be the first to be held in a coal mine in the country.

“I’m excited to be making a little piece of history”, Sharon added.

Happy couple tie the knot 140 metres underground at the National Coal Mining Museum (picture posed by models)

The wedding packages are being offered by on-site catering company Asparagus Green, which include a seaside theme with deck chairs and a seafood banquet, or a 1920s “Gatsby-style” reception.

Asparagus Green Managing Director Anthony Hegney said the Museum were “very excited” to host future weddings.

He said: “Following our successful twelve months plus at the Museum, we are absolutely delighted to now have five weddings currently being planned and co-ordinated.

“Our first ‘underground’ wedding takes place in July of this year.

“Now we have the wedding licence to hold civil ceremonies, it gives us the opportunity to offer a hassle-free day.”

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