Lion uninvited wedding guest
NZPA-AAP Darwin An outdoor wedding in Darwin got off to a roaring start at the week-end when an uninvited guest turned up to watch the ceremony — a performing lion.
The lion was one of four which broke out of a cage during a matinee performance on Saturday at the Sole Brothers circus. Police said two of the lions were immediately recaptured inside the tent and a third was caught just outside.
One lion walked across the road to the nearby Botanic Gardens and lay down under a tree, 200 m from the startled wedding guests. A marriage celebrant, Dawn Lawrie, said: “I
had just pronounced them man and wife when the cry went up, ‘There is a lion in the garden.’
“But with tremendous aplomb, we continued to sign the marriage register, keeping an eye open for the lion.
“It had been sitting under a tree then got up and surveyed the parkland. It looked quite at home in its surroundings.” Children were then whisked off to the safety of the car park, while some of the adults watched from a distance. The area was sealed off by the police and the lion soon walked quietly into a circus lorry.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860901.2.8
Bibliographic details
Press, 1 September 1986, Page 1
Word Count
204Lion uninvited wedding guest Press, 1 September 1986, Page 1
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.