A transgender photographer has condemned a “vicious” bride who humiliated her for the way she dressed.

Kate Summers was hired by Melanie and Anthony Vaughan to take their official photographs on their wedding day.

But more than six months later Mrs Vaughan went to a national newspaper to complain about Ms Summers, who used to be a Ricky Gervais impersonator called Dave Stonestreet, for turning up at their wedding dressed as a woman.

Ms Summers, of Windlesham Road, Brighton, was diagnosed as being transgender - biologically female but trapped in a man’s body - by doctors, in the year between her being booked to take the photographs and the August wedding at the Ramada Jarvis hotel in Brighton.

Yesterday she said she had been left extremely upset after Mrs Vaughan accused her of ruining her big day.

Ms Summers said: “Her comments have been vicious and offensive.

“You wouldn't dream of complaining that your wedding had been ruined because someone was gay or disabled.

“This diagnosis of being biologically female having lived 50 years as a male is not an easy thing to go through.

“I told them what I had been through and thought they would be fine with it.

“She didn't give me any indication that was a problem. The first time she has raised the issue is months later in a national newspaper.

“You would think if she wasn't happy she would make a formal complaint or take it to the small claims court.

“It was the first time I had done anything work-wise dressed as a woman and was the last wedding I was ever going to do, so I really wanted it to go well.

“As a female I'm probably more aware of how important a day it is for a bride.”

Mother of four Melanie Vaughan, 34, of The Patchings, Hollingdean, said: “He said would I mind if he came dressed as a woman, but women can dress in a whole load of different ways.

“I thought he would come in a trouser suit. I had no idea how bad it would be.

“I didn't appreciate the flowing skirt and hair in a bobble. I said to my hairdresser 'what's it dressed like?’ I couldn't look.

“I do understand what he's going through. He must have issues, but he only let me know the day before and his pictures were rubbish.

“It was both the way he looked, how he turned up and how bad his pictures were that made the whole thing a nightmare.”

Ms Summers denied that there was anything wrong with the photos she took and said Mrs Vaughan may have mistaken proof copies with black lines through them for the final prints.