Two brides are smiling again today after we helped reunite them with the wedding pictures they waited months to see.

Wendy Deville and Lesley Watson spotted themselves in The Argus yesterday after a Brighton photo shop revealed it was holding several pictures taken by photographer Shaun Chandler.

Customers of Mr Chandler contacted the police and trading standards after failing to receive the photos they had paid for. Many have been unable to contact him.

He was a regular customer at North Street shop Snappy Snaps but has not returned to collect his pictures for the last month.

Mrs Deville, 38, had been with partner Michael Batty, 38, for 15 years but decided to get married when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The couple, of St Aubyns Crescent, Hove, married last August, paying Shaun Chandler a total of £364 for pictures. They have been waiting ever since.

Mr Chandler, who has a flat at Brighton Marina, sent them a letter on December 10, apologising but saying he had separated from his wife and lost access to his emails and answer service, adding: "I have also had to cease trading as a photographer for the time being."

The other bride pictured yesterday, Lesley Watson, from Saltdean, married Simon in June last year and is still waiting for her pictures.

She was so delighted to get at least some of her prints back she presented staff at Snappy Snaps with a tin of biscuits and The Argus with a bunch of flowers.

She said: "I was on the bus on the way to work and was looking over the shoulder of the person in front who was reading The Argus.

"When they turned the page and I saw my picture I nearly fell off the seat.

"I got married in June and the photographer brought the proofs down at the beginning of August. We chose what we wanted and the wedding album we wanted and he took them away again.

"We heard nothing until I bumped into Shaun Chandler in Western Road in November. I asked him where my pictures were and he said he'd had trouble getting hold of the album we wanted.

"I am so grateful to Snappy Snaps and thank you to The Argus for printing them. I am over the moon."

Snappy Snaps owner Barry Ogilvie said: "We have had quite a few calls from people. There are obviously quite a lot of people affected by this.

"We're just happy if we can help get these prints to some of the people waiting."

Chris Tinley, from West Sussex trading standards, advised people to write to Mr Chandler asking for the return of their money or delivery of the photographs within 14-days.

If that failed, he said, then complainants could take action in the small claims court.