New Zealand Christchurch earthquake: After eighteen months in the mud couple find their lost wedding pictures

A couple in Christchurch, New Zealand, have been reunited with their wedding photos 18 months after the camera containing them was lost in the Christchurch earthquake.

When the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in February 2011, many people ran for their lives to escape the falling debris. As the couple joined their neighbours fleeing the catastrophe, newly-weds Fen Jerimiah and Martin Burley dropped the camera containing their precious wedding photos.

They had given up hope of ever seeing the pictures of their special day ever again, until recently - as they walked down their silt-covered driveway the couple noticed what looked like their lost camera resurfacing from the mud. Burley, who found it covered in silt, painstakingly cleaned the corroded and buckled camera, removing the mud from the camera's memory card.

"I was more pessimistic. Like, I didn't really think it would still work. But I'm glad that he's more like, yes, let's try this," said Fen.

But Martin's perseverance paid off.

Just one of those wow moments. Like, oh, awesome.

I thought these had gone forever.

That's really cool. Special day for both of us.

The photos of their wedding day have now been safely transferred to a computer.