HE'S a handy lad, Pete Townshend, lead guitar with The Who pop group.

So when his pretty bride-to-be, Karen Astley, lost a button from the dress she plans to wear for their wedding tomorrow, Pete came quickly to the rescue with his needle and thread.

Looks as though 20-year-old Karen has Pete well trained; and as she's a dress designer, no doubt there will be room for a chap who can sew on the odd button.

But Karen didn't make that quaint frilled cotton Mexican dress herself. She found it in one of her favourite London shops and decided it was just the thing for the wedding at Didcot, Berks, register office.

When Pete marries, the sole remaining bachelor in the group will be the 22-year-old singer Roger Daltrey.

"I used to worry about marriage spoiling the group's image," said Pete, last night.

"But now lots of group people are married and it doesn't seem to make any difference."

The Who's next record, to be released soon, hasn't upset Pete either. It's called "Going to the Dogs."