Euro confetti sparks French row

The euros used were reportedly defective

A lavish wedding in a French town which saw the happy couple showered in confetti made from shredded euro notes has caused outrage.

Residents of the southern town of Sete were up in arms after the bride and groom were covered in confetti made from 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro notes.

They also lodged a formal complaint, as destruction of banknotes is a crime.

But according to reports, the money was worthless - the euros were defective and bound for the incinerator.

'Revolting'

The controversy began after townsfolk had seen the confetti at the 8 July wedding and formed a collective to force local officials to react.

"It's revolting that people have to see their minimum wage turned into confetti lying on the street," one member of the collective said.

The scandal-causing confetti was part of a lavish ceremony attended by more than 200 guests, which included a fireworks display costing more than 40,000 euros ($51,000), according to French newspaper Liberation.

The doomed notes had been procured by a friend of the bride's family.