BRIDE-TO-BE Amanda Court, 22, may lose £10,000 after she had to cancel her wedding when her fiance was told he could not leave the Gulf.

Miss Court, from Rudloe, was due to marry Paul Chamberlain, 26, on March 15, the date of her parent's 28th wedding anniversary.

"It was going to be an extra special day and that has been taken away from us now," said Miss Court.

Mr Chamberlain, who is a sergeant based in 1 UK Armoured Division in Germany, was posted to Kuwait on a two-week exercise on February 7.

"It was initially an exercise but then he had to stay there. The Army said we should cancel the honeymoon, but Paul would be able to have leave for the wedding even if he just came back for two days," said Miss Court.

A week before the wedding she received a phone call from Sgt Chamberlain who said he was not allowed to leave the Gulf.

"I was expecting him to ring with his flight times and at first I thought he was joking, but he was absolutely distraught and I soon realised it was true," said Miss Court.

"I did not think for one minute that he would not be coming home."

Miss Court then had to cancel all the wedding preparations while still worrying about her fianc's safety.

To make matters worse, insurance company ENL Insurance refused to cover the cost of the cancelled wedding.

"We took out insurance back in November in case the dress got stolen or anything like that. We didn't even think about Paul being in the Army.

"Now they say they won't pay because we are at war," said Miss Court.

But she said she would not be giving in to the insurance company.

"It is extra stress that I do not need when Paul is not even here, but I still have fight left in me," she said.

Miss Court has spoken to a solicitor who said the clause in the insurance policy is contradictory and she has a strong case.

She is planning to take the insurers to court to get her money back.

Even the travel company is refusing to refund her honeymoon costs without the appropriate signatures.

"They said they could only return the money if I got a letter from Paul's commanding officer. He is in the middle of a war zone and that would be totally impossible," she said.

Miss Court said she was under increased pressure because she had an injury that has stopped her from returning to work.

"I was working at Boots in Corsham for four weeks last November when a box fell on my back. It has damaged my back so I can't work and I am on disability allowance.

"The problem is I now have nothing to distract myself and spend the whole day watching the news which does not help," she said.

Miss Court last spoke to her fiance two weeks ago and does not know when she will hear from him next.

"He rang the day we were meant to be getting married," said Miss Court.

"He then rang the day after to say 'I love you' and to say he didn't know when he could call me next."

Apart from knowing that he is somewhere in the Gulf she has no idea where he is at the moment.

"It is hard but I do have supportive friends and family around me," she said.

"The thought has crossed my mind that he won't come back but I can't keep thinking like that. I try to look forward to the future instead."

Miss Court said they were due to get married in St Bartholomew's Church, in Corsham, and had been preparing for the wedding for more than seven months.

She is currently living with her parents in Kidston Way, Rudloe, but was planning to move to Herford in Northern Germany with her husband after the wedding.

The happy couple met on the island of Cyprus when Miss Court's father was serving there with the RAF.

"We met in the gym because Paul used to work there," she said. "We have been together two and a half years."

Miss Court moved to Rudloe when Mr Chamberlain was posted to Cambridge.

"My father was posted to Rudloe so I came to live with my parents until we got married," she said.