Newlyweds travelling by tank could be confronted by anti-arms protestors.

A couple are planning to make their way from their civil ceremony at the Royal Pavilion to Shoreham Airport for the reception in a Bravo III tank on Monday.

But there are fears their journey could clash with planned demonstrations by anti-arms group Smash EDO, taking place in Brighton and Hove around the same time.

The couple will be chauffeured in the military vehicle which was used by the Army in Afghanistan.

Craig Douglas of Hire a Tank, in Portland Road, Hove, said: “The police called us out of the blue and said that they had a duty to keep the wedding going.

“The conversation went along the lines of, ‘There is an anti-war protest in the city and we want to be able to contain it’. I was a bit taken aback to be honest.

“I was just thinking about the clients and not wanting the tank to cause a rumpus.

“They said they wanted to contain the anti-war protesters and that they thought a tank in town might cause a bit of a rumpus.”

Mr Douglas described the tank as a “gimmick” often hired out for special occasions, stag and hen parties, but said he did not know this couple’s reasons for wanting the unusual choice of wedding car.

The Smash EDO protest takes place in the city on Monday as part of their Summer of Resistance.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: “We have been kindly notified of the use of the tank as part of a civil ceremony at the Royal Pavilion and will assist with any traffic issues should they arise.”