“I’M going to miss him so much, there’s so much I’m going to miss about my dad.”

Doting daughter Pauline Cadden has paid tribute to her father, Eric Spencer, who lost his battle with cancer, aged 79.

Park North resident Eric, who was one of last year’s Adver Christmas Wish winners, died at home on Tuesday, just eight months after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

“It’s just been such a shock, because he had been doing so well,” said Pauline, 54, of Upper Stratton.

“Last Thursday, I took dad to hospital to get all his results from the scans after his recent radiotherapy and they were very happy with him and the cancer had shrunk a little so we came out of there on a high, and dad was even more positive.

“But late on Tuesday evening this week dad suddenly died at home with a massive bleed which was so unexpected and we are all deeply in shock.

“He had seemed fine all during the day. We had all been over to see him and he had seemed fine, his usual self.

“Mum had gone to bed like usual because she always went to bed before him and left him downstairs in his chair.

“But something told her to go down again at around 11pm, and that’s when she found him and called the ambulance.

“They are still not sure what it was for certain so he has had to have an autopsy.”

She said Eric will be greatly missed by his wife Dorothy, four children, 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Pauline said: “He was such a family oreintated man. We were all so close.

“He was also immensely proud of the time he spent serving in the army.”

Last December, Eric was one of the lucky recipients in our Christmas Wish appeal after Pauline nominated her dad, determined to indulge his love of the races.

When told about the race day gift last December he said: “I feel overwhelmed. Pauline told me to make sure I was up and dressed.

“I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve always been a gambler and I used to go to the races years ago. I’ve got to start saving.

“I don’t really know if I deserve it. I’ve been thinking positively. If you dwell on cancer that’s when it gets worse. I’ve put it at the back of my mind.”

Earlier this month, the dad-of-four went for a flutter at Newbury Racecourse with VIP tickets.

At the time Pauline said: “My father was diagnosed with lung cancer in June.

“He had an X-ray for a hip operation and that’s when they realised. He also suffers with a bad hip and couldn’t have a hip replacement because of the cancer.

“While he had daily trips to Oxford for his treatment he just got on with it. He was very upbeat.”