Bride's anguish as cancer kills groom day after wedding

Robert Coulter wed Becky Lee, 31, four months after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

The father-of-two was told by doctors at the Western Infirmary in Edinburgh nothing could be done to save him.

However, the couple, who were to marry in February, decided to bring the wedding forward fearing Mr Coulter, 31, would not live long enough.

The couple married at their home in Lanark on 23 December in an emotional ceremony surrounded by their family and friends.

Just hours after the couple tied the knot, Mr Coulter's condition began to deteriorate rapidly. He died on Christmas Eve, leaving Mrs Coulter to raise their daughters, two-year-old Emily and three-month-old Abbey.

Last night, Mrs Coulter described her wedding day as "absolutely lovely".

She said: "It's only now that we have time to reflect that reality is beginning to hit home.

"The house feels so empty without him, it just shows that no-one knows what's round the corner.

"You just have to think about the children and try your best. Emily keeps on asking where her daddy is. We tried to explain to her that he was not well enough to be here. We told her that daddy is with the angels.

"It wasn't the wedding we were planning but we did it, and that is all that matters."

She added: "A lot of people looking at Robert on the day, all said that you wouldn't know he was as ill as he was.

"He did really well that day and managed to sit up for it. It was an absolutely lovely service.

"After the wedding he began to deteriorate really rapidly, maybe he was hanging off for it."

Mr Coulter went to see his doctor in August last year after complaining of severe headaches and a loss of balance. Though believing he was only suffering from migraine, he was told he had a brain tumour.

He was given radiotherapy then chemotherapy.

However, it was found the cancer had spread from his lungs and there was nothing that could be done to save him.

Mr Coulter, who trained as a hairdresser, first met his wife to be when he went to London at the age of 19.

The couple later lived in Middlesex before returning to Scotland to raise a family.

Last night Mr Coulter's mother, Janice Lee, added: "We are all devastated.The outcome wasn't what we were expecting, it all happened so rapidly.

"We were told it was a tumour in his brain but it turned out that was secondary and that it had actually started in his lung.

"It wasn't until latterly he started to suffer headaches and a loss of balance.

"I just wonder if we had found out sooner he would still be here now.

"The day he was diagnosed he said to us, 'I'm really sorry, mum, this is going to upset our family so much'.

"He would be turning 32 on the 20 January and we all need to focus on getting through that."

Despite the children losing their father the day before, Mrs Coulter and her mother were determined to give them a proper Christmas.

Mrs Lee said: "We did Christmas Day because I thought if we run away from such a special occasion these children are never going to have a Christmas.

"But it was a special day, and we all got through it together."