A man who thought he had indigestion died a month after doctors told him it was stomach cancer and before his last wish to marry his sweetheart could be granted.

The devastated family of 38-year-old dad-of-three James Hunt of West End, Queensbury, said life since his diagnosis had been a rollercoaster.

His sister Katy Hanson said his ‘indigestion’ had got so painful he eventually took himself to accident and emergency where tests revealed the grim truth.

He underwent two weeks of chemotherapy but it made him so ill he was admitted to Huddersfield Royal Hospital and died the day after doctors broke the news there was nothing more they could do for him except keep him comfortable – the cancer had also spread to his liver.

Now his family are urging people, especially men, to go to the doctors about any health concerns, no matter how trivial they might seem.

“James had put it off and put it off, like a lot of men do. We’d say to anyone if you’re worried about something just go and speak to your doctor,” said Mrs Hanson, who although a year younger shared her brother’s birthday.

“You hear about people with stomach cancer living with it for years, it didn’t sink in at first. It’s happened so quick,” she added.

Mr Hunt, who left Queensbury Upper School to become a joiner and ran his own business for a time, had three children from a previous relationship and had been with his partner Sheridan and her son for five years.

One of his passions was five-a-side football and he regularly played the sport on a Sunday with friends.

The couple who were engaged had planned to marry quickly after he was diagnosed but he deteriorated too quickly, said Mrs Hanson.

“It was one of his dying wishes to get married to Sheridan. Even when we got the call to go to the hospital the day he died I was thinking about organising the chaplains to have the ceremony on the ward, but he’d passed away when we got there – Sheridan was with him,” she said.

Mr Hunt insisted his funeral on Wednesday at Holy Trinity Parish Church at 10.45am should be a celebration of his life and wanted everyone to wear bright colours – no black clothing.

“He was always such a happy-go-lucky man, always smiling – even when things weren’t going his way, that’s how he was. He had so many friends, people just loved to be in his company.”