It’s daunting enough joining a new family, but when bride-to-be Heidi Withers opened an email from her fiancé Freddie’s step-mother, following a visit to see the new family, it was far from the warm, welcoming response she’d expected…

Instead, Mrs Bourne reportedly seems to have drawn up a list of her future daughter-in-law’s faults with some top tips for correcting them!

The email, which Miss Withers forwarded to friends before it went viral, pointed out her lack of manners during the visit, seemingly picky eating habits, tendency to lie in bed in a house of early risers, attention-seeking behaviour, and even being quick to point out the gross error made by her parents in not saving over the years for their daughter’s wedding.

As reported by the Metro, she was told that if her parents could not save enough money for the big day ‘it would be most ladylike and gracious to lower your sights and have a modest wedding as befits both your incomes’. Miss Withers’ wedding plans also came in for a trashing. ‘No one gets married in a castle unless they own it,’ said Mrs Bourne. ‘It is brash, celebrity-style behaviour.’

According to reports, both Mrs Bourne and fiancé Freddie are unwilling to comment.

CHAT ROOM DEBATE: Tell us about your own mother-in-law experiences in our dedicated forum: MOTHER-IN-LAW: FRIEND OR FOE?