A GRANDFATHER who has been helping his family through difficult times has been granted a Christmas Wish.

Tony Pocock, 51, will be enjoying 18 holes of golf at The Wiltshire Golf and Country Club next year with the club professional, Marc McCracken, and club captain Mark Davies after being nominated by his wife, Iris.

Tony has been supporting Iris, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and breathing problems, as well as his father, who has been seriously ill since last December, and his niece, who suffers from dyspraxia and learning difficulties.

Tony, who is chairman of Affected By Cancer Swindon, said: “It’s exciting, I was amazed because I had no idea that Iris had applied for it.

“She opened the email that said she had been successful and started crying.

“My first thought was that something horrible had happened. Then she explained what had happened and I couldn’t believe it.

“I don’t play golf as often as I would like to, I usually play two or three times a month. It is great to have been given this Christmas Wish.”

Tony was a golf pro for EGTF European Golf Teaching Feder-ation, but couldn’t further his career abroad because Iris became ill and he wanted to look after her.

Iris, 58, nominated Tony because he has been helping her, and has also been visiting his father in Thatcham at least twice a week all year because he is so ill, and he helped him move house too.

The couple have been looking after their niece, 19-year-old Kirsty Finley, whose mother died about 10 years ago, since January 2011 after they located her via Facebook.

Iris said: “She was living in hostels for the best part of a year before she came down from Edinburgh.

“Being a vulnerable young adult, we accepted her into our home. We didn’t know at the time that she suffers from dyspraxia and learning problems.

“Although she is a good young adult, because of her difficulties, she needs help and encouragement daily.

“This has added to the pressures for both of us, and sometimes gets extremely difficult.

“We never seem to have much time for each other, always caring and helping others.

“Because of this, I think my husband deserves a Christmas surprise as he deals with all of our problems.”