A DJ stepped in to save the day after a bride was jilted.

Chris Evans, then a Radio 2 DJ, offered Portland resident Emma Knight £5,000 for her unused wedding dress on national live radio.

Emma, a nurse, who was jilted two weeks before her big day in 2007, said she was gobsmacked by the offer from DJ Chris.

Evans said he planned to turn Miss Knight's bridal gown into a Drivetime Dress, which could be hired out by listeners who want to wear it for their own wedding.

Miss Knight, of Wakeham, Portland, said: "The BBC phoned me up and asked if I'd go on the show.

"I didn't know what to expect but I know what Chris Evans is like, so I knew there was going to be a bit of banter."

Dorset Echo:

Chris Evans

The story started when Miss Knight, 41, told the Dorset Echo how she went ahead with her 'unwedding' after her husband-to-be got cold feet and left her to tell 200 guests the big day was off.

On air Evans said the decision to put the party on regardless was 'bizarre but brilliant'.

He said: "Let's give you £5,000 for the dress right now.

"I'm not joking. It's official."

After the show Miss Knight said: "I just thought 'Oh my God!' and I said for five grand I'll throw in the shoes as well.

"They phoned me back later on and told me he's paying for it out of his own money.

"Apparently the story really gripped him. I suppose people are just taken with the fact that you can always pick yourself up and dust yourself down."

Miss Knight not only got rid of her dress, but had offers of marriage flooding in from men who have read her story.

She said: "I've had people proposing after reading the story on the Internet.

"I really can't believe it.

"Eight months ago I was broken-hearted but look at me now.

"I've got my life back on track, I'm quite happy on my own and I'm getting out there and enjoying life.

"I lost all my savings on the wedding, but now I've got money to start a new life with."