Ipswich couple Karen and Shaun Sheed mark marriage with police photoshoot

A newlywed couple marked the start of their ‘life sentence’ together with a spontaneous photoshoot – inside the cell of a police van.

Karen Sheed, 46, and her husband Shaun Sheed, 35, seized the unique opportunity after getting hitched at Ipswich Town Hall earlier this year.

The couple, who are from Ipswich, were leaving the venue, where they met local PC Chris Garrod on the stairwell after the ceremony.

PC Garrod is the town's community engagement officer (CEO), a position he has held since February, after serving as a police officer for 27 years.

At the time, he was taking part in a charity event also at the Town Hall, before unexpectedly coming across the newly-weds.

And, after a quick conversation, PC Garrod organised a police van photoshoot for Karen and Shaun in light of them starting a 'life sentence' married to one another.

PC Garrod said: “I was participating in a Jail and Bail event at the Corn Exchange to raise money for the St Elizabeth Hospice.

"Coincidentally, Karen and Shaun were getting married in another part of the Corn Exchange.

“They were just leaving the room where they got married, as I was walking down the stairs. I naturally wished them well and congratulated them on their big day.

“The conversation led to them requesting a photo next to the police van which I had prepped for the Jail and Bail event.

“I obviously obliged and made a joke about them having a photo inside the prisoner cage to symbolise them starting their life sentence together.

“They jumped at the chance to do this and thought that was hilarious. Their professional photographer even said that this was a first for him.”

Karen said she and her new husband were delighted to have some slightly different wedding pictures taken from their ceremony in April this year.

She added: “It was a surprise when we saw PC Garrod and thought 'why not?'

"It was something different for our photos and was quite funny and enjoyable.”