A young father who lived for his family has died only ten days before his second child was due.

John Cawkill in a family

portrait picture with his wife, Trudy, and their first child, Hannah. Mr Cawkill died of cancer only a few days after seeing a scan of the

couple's second child

Heartbroken widow Trudy Cawkill, 31, revealed today that after her husband, John, had been given two weeks to live, he was taken to the maternity unit so he could see a scan of their unborn baby.

Cancer victim John Cawkill, 40, of Bow Bridge View, Tadcaster, in fact died in St James's Hospital, Leeds, four days after seeing the scan of their baby girl.

A well-known and popular man around Tadcaster, he worked for over 20 years in the laboratories at John Smith's and played cricket for the brewery team.

Mr Cawkill - whose parents live in Moor Lane, Sherburn-in-Elmet - died from cancer of the liver five months after complaining of backache and stomach pains.

The devoted husband and father of a two-year-old girl, Hannah, died in Trudy's arms.

"He went very peacefully and his last words were 'I love you'," said Trudy, who first met John at the age of 16 and married him six years later.

"He was unbelievably brave and positive right to the end. He so desperately wanted to live and we were hoping and praying he would still be alive to see our second child born, but it was a very aggressive cancer.

"I have lost my soul mate, and I will never get over it. John was really looking forward to seeing both his little girls grow up.

"It's so unfair, but the baby is part of both of us and that will help me through. He just asked me to make sure that both girls never forget him."

Trudy, a reflexologist and beauty therapist, whose parents live in Wighill, near Tadcaster, added: "I'm very angry, but I still believe in God because I need his strength as well."

The funeral was taking place today at St Mary's Church, Tadcaster, where Trudy and her daughter, Hannah, are regular attenders at the Monday afternoon pram service.

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