A TERMINALLY-ill man who chose to provide for his kids over getting married has finally tied the knot with his fiancé - 20 years after proposing.

Dean Pennell, 63, met his partner Kay Beaman, 62, through their children 24 years ago in Basildon but held off on marriage plans to provide for their ten children.

After being told he had just weeks to live, Dean, who has terminal cancer, finally married Kay on June 18 at Colchester Hospital.

Kay said: "I am absolutely elated, we have waited a long time and it's so special to be able to celebrate our marriage here, with our families.

"Dean proposed when we first got together but with 10 children between us money would not allow.

"We were planning to get married this year but with the situation as it was, we decided to bring the wedding forward."

The happy couple were watched by family and friends, including their 10 children and some of their 18 grandchildren.

The event was organised in under a week by Langham ward manager Lucy Everett, matron Emma Davis and patient flow coordinator Donna Knox.

Kay said: "It was very hard for Dean. He had been so excited in the lead up to the wedding and I would get a phone call from him at the hospital every morning telling me how many days there were to go until the wedding.

"When the day came, he was adamant, as difficult as it was, that he was going to stand up for as much as the ceremony as possible, and we had a lovely day.

"He was exhausted afterwards. Dean is now back at home and we are living life to suit us."

Dean, a former electroplater added: "It was absolutely brilliant. The staff worked really hard to organise the wedding."

Ward manager Lucy Everett, said: "It has been a pleasure to be able to help Dean and Kay.

"It's rare that we get to celebrate a wedding at Colchester Hospital - it's a first for me."

East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust also presented Dean and Kay with a clock, displaying the exact time the happy couple said 'I Do' on the day.