BRIDE Lin Evans is marrying her sweetheart at Portland Castle today in a black dress after a kind-hearted resident came to the rescue.

Goth fan Lin of Wyke Regis, Weymouth, told how a series of mishaps securing the right outfit meant her special day was heading for disaster.

The first one she obtained from a friend was sent away to be altered and by the time it came back she couldn’t fit into it.

The second dress bought over the internet had such tight sleeves they left bruises on Lin’s arms.

With just days to go until she tied the knot in a goth-style wedding to Graham Stead, Lin feared the worst.

But several people came forward with offers of help after reading about Lin’s plight in the Dorset Echo.

They included Sarah Whiteside who offered to alter the dress.

She runs a sewing business on Portland, Frank Designs for You, and married at Portland Castle herself.

Trisha Macnaughtan from Dorchester, who sews in her spare time, offered to alter the dress as did Zena Shackleton from Portland who used to have a business in Wyke High Street called Sew Easy.

Three women came forward with offers of dresses – Donna Adams offered a black strapless ball gown, Hilary Finch had a black evening dress and Maria Attwood had a medieval-style black dress she bought for a special occasion.

But it was Jennie Debenham’s offer of a black velvet and chiffon gown, complete with medieval-style sleeves, that won Lin over.

Jennie, from Wyke Regis, made the dress for her daughter Rachel Hoskins over 10 years ago when she played Titania in an All Saints School production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Jennie said: “It has a goth feel to it because they wanted Titania in black.

“Rachel has hardly worn it since although it’s been brought out of the loft a few times for New Year’s Eve.

“It’s still special to us but we were delighted to help Lin out and lend her the dress.”

Orthodontic nurse Lin, 50, said she was overwhelmed with the offers of help.

“I’m shocked, I wasn’t expecting anything but it’s wonderful to know there are some kind and generous people about,” she said.

Lin added: “Jennie’s dress will really fit in with the feel of the castle. She’s done a beautiful job on it and it will help my day be really special.”