A groom jilted his bride-to-be on their wedding day after his mother halted the service because her daughter-in-law was too short and unattractive.

The groom – not named in local media – was reportedly ordered to dump his Tunisian bride after his mum saw her at the service for the first time.

It is understood that until the ceremony, the groom’s mother had only seen photographs of his bride-to-be.

But when she saw her face to face, she reportedly ordered her son to halt the service because his bride was too “short” and “ugly”.

Photos from the start of the service show bride Lamia Al-Labawi smiling as she wears her wedding dress while her fiance looks shifty in a dinner suit as he mops his brow.

Later, rejected Lamia poured out her heart on social media.

Lamia wrote on her blog that she is an “orphan” and preparations for the wedding had cost her a lot of money.

She said she had been shocked by the rejection and finds it hard to meet people’s eyes and hear their whispering.

Following her ordeal, social media users offered her support and criticised her mummy’s boy fiance for not being a “real man”.

Theatrical artist Hedi Mejri said on Facebook: “A message to Lamia Al-Labawi, the bride whose husband ran away and left her and chose to complete the ceremony alone. I, Hedi Mejri, decided to write these words to you, and I hope they reach you.”

He added in his post: “With all love, I tell you to raise your head and face the world with all your strength.

“You did not lose a man. You lost whoever could be a curse in your life. You gained irreplaceable comfort and freedom.”