A SWINDON couple say they have been blown away by the kindness of strangers who have helped make it possible for them to get married.

Marc Anning, 53, and Clare Lupton, 44, have been together for 28 years but Marc has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness, so they are desperate to tie the knot before the cancer takes hold.

Their eldest daughter Chantelle set up a crowd-funding page for her parents to try and make this possible with a modest target of £1,000.

But within days friends, employers and total strangers have pulled together to raise £7,000, with some businesses offering their services free of charge.

Now the wedding, set for November 11, promises to be one to remember for the Park South couple and their three children, Chantelle, Chloe and Holly.

As a result of the Adver's report yesterday Chiseldon House Hotel offered the venue free, and the cost of flowers, food and entertainment are also being covered by donations.

Chantelle says the family has been blown away by the generosity of the community.

“Everybody’s support has been overwhelming,” she said.

“It’s taken mum and dad aback. We are all just so grateful that this has been able to happen for them.

“The majority of this has been done by complete strangers that we don’t know and it’s amazing. I’m absolutely exhausted, trying to plan a wedding a so quickly.

"It’s just a common ground that we’ve found – everyone knows someone who is affected by cancer. But “Out of something so negative something amazing has happened.”

Marc’s firm, Savills Telecom, is covering the cost of food on the day and Oaktree Nursery and Primary School, where Clare is a teaching assistant, will be holding a concert to raise money for Prospect Hospice on the couple’s behalf.

Charlie Metcalf, sales manager at Chiseldon House Hotel, said: “Cancer is such a horrible thing, and it’s really hard to find someone who hasn’t been touched by it. I just wanted to help in any way I could.

“We have given them the run of the hotel. We are not charging them for that. We have it here, it doesn’t cost us a great deal, so let’s make them have a nice memory.”

Currently there is a shout out for any Ferrari owners to provide the transport for the couple on the big day.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/chantelle-anning