A MAN suffering from terminal cancer fulfilled his one last wish... to marry his sweetheart.

In a ceremony by his bedside, Jack Newport, 65, married Denise Holden, 56, surrounded by friends and family on Friday last week at Michael Sobell House, at Mount Vernon Hospital, in Rickmansworth Road, Northwood.

The newlyweds, of Carlyon Road, Yeading, met at work 12 years ago.

Mr Newport was diagnosed with bladder cancer in March 2011 and in August this year he found out the cancer had spread to his spine.

When told his condition was terminal, he decided it was time to marry his sweetheart.

“They told me I only had a week left. That was two weeks ago now,” he said.

“I thought: ‘I’ve got to marry her. These 12 years we’ve been together have been the best 12 years of my life’.

“It was a brilliant day. I had everybody who I wanted to be here around me and now I am content that I have everything I need in my life.”

Mrs Newport did not have any time to plan for the wedding. She only found out it could go ahead the day before.

“We got the licence on the Thursday afternoon and then on Friday we got married, so there was no time to prepare,” she told the Gazette. “We have been talking about it for some time and that's what he said he wanted to do. He wanted to get married as soon as possible.

“It was a lovely day; we had the ceremony by the bed, then we had a fish and chip supper with Champagne and cake,” she said.

The couple met while working for Hale Hamilton Valves, in Cowley Road, Uxbridge.

Mr Newport said their special day was made more special by the help of the hospice nurses.

“The nurses got me all ready for it, they even put me in a shirt and tie.

“They were all crying and we had so many congratulations on the day.

“The work Michael Sobell do is unbelievable. Everyone who works here, and all the nurses, are really brilliant.

“I came here and I was very ill, but today I feel much better.

“I’m about to go out in the garden, and there is an aviary. It is beautiful here.”