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Groom, 57, with terminal cancer collapses and dies as his wife walks up the aisle

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Dad-of-11 Paul Wynn died moments before he was set to tie the knot as his family desperately tried to save his life (Reach)

A groom died at the altar just minutes before becoming officially married to his partner of 21 years.

Father-of-11 Paul Wynn, 57, only discovered he had cancer eight days before he died.

Medics broke the news to Paul that the disease was in his pancreas and that it had spread to his liver and lungs. He was given between six weeks and two months to live.

Described as a "fantastic dad" by his 38-year-old fiancée Alison, Wynn brought forward the plans in a bid to get married in the short time they had left together.

Speaking to Ayrshire Live, Alison Wynn – who changed her surname by deed poll a few years ago - recalled the events of 25 June - a day she hoped would be the happiest day of her life.

Alison Wynn, who changed her surname by deed poll several years ago, said the event has left her family devastated (reach)
Alison Wynn, who changed her surname by deed poll several years ago, said the event has left her family devastated (Reach)

Having forgotten her bouquet and waiting around ten minutes outside Saltcoats town hall for a friend to bring them to the venue Wynn said she then walked into the venue near their home in North Ayrshire, Scotland, and saw her fiancé slumped at the altar.

"He had actually been wheeled up in an office chair into the lift and taken up the stairs as he had no energy to get up to the room. He was out of breath and struggling from what I was told," she said.

The couple’s eldest child Sandy, 20, walked Wynn down the aisle once the 20 guests were seated shortly before 2pm.

But as she made her way into the room, she quickly realised something wasn’t right as her fiancé was slumped in the chair that had brought him to the ceremony.

Described as a “fantastic dad” by his 38-year-old fiancée Alison, Paul was told by doctors he had cancer eight days before he died. (reach)
Described as a “fantastic dad” by his 38-year-old fiancée Alison, Paul was told by doctors he had cancer eight days before he died. (Reach)

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"By the time I got to him I called his name a couple of times," she said.

"He didn’t turn round, he didn’t look at me and I realised there was something wrong and I started breaking down and I started shouting his name and we knew something wasn’t right."

First-aiders rushed to help Wynn by administering CPR and using a defibrillator but he couldn’t be revived.

"It was hard," Wynn said. "It’s taken me a wee while to get to where I am now and every day just seems to merge into one.

"It feels like only yesterday that it happened. I’m having to get up and moving every day for the sake of my children but I can’t eat."

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Wynn paid tribute to the father of her children, she said: "Paul loved going out and taking pictures of anything and everything.

"We were his life, he would do anything for his kids. He would move heaven and earth for his kids and everyone loved him. He would give you every last penny he had. He made sure that everyone got before him. He was there for everybody."

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