'My dying wish to get married is coming true'

A terminally ill man who is getting married on Saturday after a fundraising appeal, said he has been "blown away" by people's generosity.

Last September, music producer Antony "Shorty" Shorter was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer, which has since spread to his lungs, back and shoulder.

The appeal was organised by 18-year-old singer Macy O'Neill, who performs as Macy O, who is the daughter of his bride-to-be, Naomi.

She said she wanted to help because he had only been given months to live and they had not been able to afford to get married because of his illness.

The online fundraising appeal raised £3,500, but alongside that the family has had numerous offers of support to make the wedding day possible.

It has included everything from the donation of a wedding dress and free hire of a VW camper van for the day, to a team of people turning up to clear their garden.

Shorter said: "The generosity of people to bring everything together to bring my dream come true, to get married to the woman that I always loved, is going to happen and that's just blown my mind away."

He also thanked staff at The Christie hospital in Manchester for making sure he could be at home for the wedding.

O'Neill has performed with artists including Sam Ryder, Kaiser Chiefs and Bastille and said her music career has been helped a lot by Shorter, who has his own music studio.

Together the pair set up record label Moose Records and she said: "I feel so happy for them because they do so much for other people.

"They put their hearts on the line for others and it's really nice to see that generosity come back to them."

She said she would not describe herself as a wedding planner and had just tried to help coordinate all the offers of support.

The couple plan to get married at St. Mary's Church in Leebotwood and will have the reception at their home, in case Shorter's condition makes him too tired.

There will be a marquee in their garden and Shorter said there was a "massive garden clear up" to get it ready.

"They were there with shovels and clearing the path and within two hours our garden was like a palace," he said.

He was released from hospital over the weekend said a lot of the wedding was being planned without the need for him to get involved.

Shorter said: "Asking people to donate and to help you is not something that I've ever done.

"We've always tried to help other people and it makes you feel bad, but the people's generosity, I've just been blown away."

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