Best man's speech explodes into flames at wedding

A newlywed couple narrowly avoided disaster on their wedding day after the best man's speech caught fire during the reception.

Alex Pace, 25, and his new wife Abby, 26, watched in horror as the notes made by pal Will Cundall, 26, went up in flames on their top table on Friday 4 November.

SEE ALSO: Valentine's Day weddings more likely to end in divorce

SEE ALSO: Tom Hanks poses in couple's wedding photos

As best man, when Will finished his 15 minute speech, he tossed it down onto the table, but didn't realise it had landed straight onto a tealight candle.

Within seconds, the paper began to smoke and burst into flames leaving guests stunned and hotel staff dashing to grab the burning paper.

Video footage shows toastmaster and deputy manager Phil Lowther managing to rush into the kitchen with the speech to stop the wedding day going up in flames.

Admin worker Alex, from Tamworth, Staffs, praised the quick-thinking actions of staff at Tamworth Castle Hotel.