Terminal cancer groom dies days after Peterborough wedding

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A man diagnosed with terminal brain cancer has died 10 days after fulfilling his "one last wish" - to marry his fiancee.

Friends raised funds to enable Barry Lansfield, 56, from Norfolk, to wed Donna Mayes on Valentine's weekend after his diagnosis in October.

Although the wedding was arranged, Mr Lansfield deteriorated and the ceremony took place privately in a hospice.

His new wife said: "Barry was my world, my love... he helped me be who I am."

Mr Lansfield, from Walsoken near Wisbech, had to give up his job as a Royal Mail driver in Peterborough after his doctor told him he had "many months, but not many years" to live.

He told friends his one wish was to wed his partner at Valentine's, so they began fundraising, securing pledges of more than £2,000 to enable the couple to book a venue for 15 February.

Speaking about their efforts last month, Mr Lansfield said he was "totally 100% humbled and overwhelmed".


However, about a week before the wedding, Mr Lansfield's health deteriorated and he had to be moved to the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough.

Instead of a big wedding and party, the couple married privately at the hospice with family and close friends on 13 February.

"The staff looked after Barry very well, and me also," Mrs Lansfield-Mayes said.

"On our wedding night they had decorated his room with 'just married' signs and flowers, and put a bed for me to be by his side."

Describing her husband as a "wonderful loving family man" who was "adored" by all, Mrs Lansfield-Mayes said their wedding was "emotional, and such a fantastic day with lots of memories made".

Mr Lansfield had joked that marrying his partner would be the only way to get her to wear a dress.

She added: "Barry's wish came true, and when he saw myself in my dress he was moved to tears.

"At that point I knew how much this meant to him - how much it meant to us."

Mr Lansfield died on Sunday, 23 February.