Conservative general election candidate David Reed took a day off the campaign trail on Monday (June 1) to get married.

Mr Reed, a candidate for the Exmouth and Exeter East seat, married a local woman after a "hectic" few days.

The other parliamentary candidates standing in the Exmouth and Exeter East constituency are Paul Arnott (Liberal Democrats), Helen Dallimore (Labour), Olly Davey (Green Party), Daniel Wilson (independent) and Gary Sutherland (Reform UK).

Mr Reed said: “As with the rest of the country, my now wife and I were just as shocked as everyone else when the general election was called on the 22nd of May. With just over a week to push until our wedding on the 1st of June, it was a hectic few days to balance the full-time needs of the campaign, and to make the final wedding preparations. 

"Having served in many public sector roles over my adult life, I am well versed about the strain that public service places on loved ones around you. From spending many months away on overseas military deployments with the Royal Marines, to moving around the country on secondment, I’ve become hardened to the lack of stability that public service brings.

"Over the past few weeks, my now wife has given me reassurance and ballast during a very busy period. As soon as the General Election was called, she calmly took everything on, and gave me the time to focus on the campaign. I will be forever in her debt for the support she’s given me.

"We had a brilliant wedding, and it went down without a hitch. I think my wife and I can both categorically say that it was the best day of our lives.” 

After his day off, David is now fully back on the campaign trail.

“I have been working hard day in, day out since being selected as the Conservative candidate last summer. My team and I have been knocking on doors to speak to as many people as possible to listen to and understand their concerns. In turn, this is so that I can ensure that I’m tackling our most pressing local issues. All of this work is to demonstrate to everyone that I can be trusted to be an effective Member of Parliament for our home, Exmouth & Exeter East”.