A groom with just days to live has married the love of his life thanks to the donations of strangers.
Ray Kershaw, 63, and Tracy Brooks, 45, had hoped to tie the knot in Tenerife next year, but after Ray was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the duodenum in March that became impossible.
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Originally wedding organisers put out a call for donations for a ceremony on June 2, however as Ray's condition deteriorated it became apparent it would need to happen sooner.
Credit: MEN
The ceremony was organised in just 24 hours, with strangers and businesses offering to pay for wedding cars, flowers, venue dressing, a cake and other things to ensure the couple had a special day.
The pair tied the knot in a ceremony attended by close relatives, friends and nursing staff at Springhill Hospice in Rochdale on Saturday afternoon.
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Tracy's niece and bridesmaid, Melissa King, said the couple were amazed at the support of so many strangers.
Credit: MEN
Melissa told the MEN: "All Ray and Tracy knew was the cancer was terminal so all they wanted was to get married.
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"What Gift of a Wedding did was incredible. They were up all hours the night before the wedding to make sure it happened.
"I know Tracy and Ray can't thank everyone enough for making it happen. We can't believe how much people donated at such short notice."
The event was arranged by Gift of a Wedding, a UK charity which provides free weddings to people with a terminal illness, regardless of age, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
Gift of a Wedding, posting on Facebook, said: "Rochdale you're just the best! Thank you so much for pulling together to help us with this urgent wedding today."
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Congratulations to the newly weds, for more information about Gift of a Wedding go to http://giftofawedding.org/
Featured Image Credit: MENTopics: Cancer