IT was the wedding they always thought they had time to plan.

But days after they got married, newlywed teacher Christine Peggrem died from the cancer she only found out she had just three weeks earlier.

Today the 52-year-old’s distraught husband Clifford has told of his pain and regret his wife did not seek medical advice sooner and has bravely spoken out to raise awareness about the devastating disease.

“There's a very good lesson here not to ignore the signs of bowel cancer or try to put them down to something less serious.

"If it had been diagnosed earlier then things may have ended differently."

Clifford, 51, said he met Christine at a disco in 1984 and the pair had always planned to get married.

However his partner Christine, a maths teacher had complained of abdominal pain for weeks but she put off visiting her GP.

The software engineer from West Moors, near Ferndown, said: “Christine was obviously ill for a long time but she ignored some of the signs of bowel cancer.

“She finally went to the doctor after the severity of the pain caused her to vomit and it was then she knew something was very wrong.

“Two days later we had to call for an ambulance to take her to A&E because of the pain.”

Christine was admitted to hospital where she was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Clifford said: "When she was told she had bowel cancer we had no idea how serious or advanced it was at that time.

"We had always planned to get married so when Christine was diagnosed we both agreed that we must do it sooner rather than later.

"She was saying 'it's not a problem to do it next summer, I'm not going to die immediately' - at that stage she didn't realise just how soon it would be.”

However, when Christine returned to hospital just ten days later on October 20, she was given the heartbreaking news the cancer was terminal and she had just weeks left to live.

Clifford said: “She was so very, very ill that doctors decided there was no point in even trying chemotherapy.

"She remained incredibly strong and welcomed friends and family with a brave face.”

The couple decided to marry immediately.

Clifford and Christine said their vows in an emotional ceremony on November 1.

“We decided to marry as soon as possible and had a very intimate ceremony at home with 17 of our closest friends and family in attendance,” he said.

“Everyone was incredibly moved and we were both very tearful.”

From that moment, Christine’s health deteriorated rapidly. She stayed in bed and didn’t leave the house again, Clifford said.

“All I could do was care for her.

“There were moments of enjoyment when we spent time together and she saw old friends but it was incredibly difficult.

"There was a release when she passed in knowing she was at peace, which is something you always hear people say but now I know what they mean."

Christine lost her battle with the disease at home with her husband and her mother at her bedside on Monday.

Tributes to Christine have poured in from students and staff at Lytchett Minster School, where she taught for ten years.

Headmaster Andrew Mead said: "Christine was an exceptionally talented, creative and inspirational maths teacher and a wonderfully kind and caring human being. She has enriched the lives of so many young people.

"Her enthusiasm and good humour brought maths to life, not only making it accessible and comprehensible to all, but also making it enjoyable.

"She had no children of her own, but she leaves behind thousands of students, friends and colleagues who will forever be in her debt for the positive difference she has made in their lives."

The funeral of Christine Frisby, nee Peggrem, will be held on December 1 at St Mary the Virgin church in West Moors.