FATHER of the bride Harry Morton has criticised the hotel used in the filming of Four Weddings and a Funeral after callous thieves ruined his daughter's big day.

Mr Morton had booked 20 wedding guests into the Crown Hotel in Old Amersham for the special day.

But after the happy ceremony five sets of guests returned to their rooms to find they had been raided and treasured possession had been stolen.

He revealed the story to the Free Press after the hotel, owned by the Forte Hotel Group, failed to apologise or compensate the guests since the wedding in September.

He said: "I have just written to the managing director of the group to tell him of the heartache this has caused but we still don't have an apology even though the wedding celebrations had to be stopped stone dead."

House keys and sentimental items of jewellery were taken along with car keys later used to steal two of the guest's cars.

And now the police are launching an investigation after the thieves struck again on December 15, making off with thousands of pounds of guests' possessions.

Mr Morton, chairman of the Amersham Society and shareholder of the group which owns the hotel, said: "I just can't believe that the rooms were burgled while the guests were at the wedding.

"When they discovered what had been taken the next day the hotel did not even say sorry or organise for cars for the guests to get home in."

Kirsty Marshall, spokesman for the Forte Hotel Group, said: "Unfortunately the guests found their rooms had been disturbed.

"Guests' security is of paramount importance to us and we are working closely with the police and our own security advisors as part of an on-going investigation."

Since the thefts took place the hotel is stepping up security and fitting CCTV cameras as well as new locks.