Friends of an Alton lorry driver are raising money to help him and his family concentrate on making some special memories after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Mark Cummins, 57, began feeling unwell about three to four weeks before going to hospital with fluid in his stomach on July 1.

A computed tomography (CT) scan the following day revealed he had pancreatic cancer, and secondary cancer in his lungs, liver and stomach lining, with a life expectancy of three months.

Last September, Mark married his wife Julie - who he first met in 1985 when they were 16 and 14 - after they got back in touch three years ago.

Julie said: “Devastation and heartbreak doesn't come close to how we're all feeling. With this type of cancer you don’t get any symptoms until it is stage three or four, and then it is too late to have any treatment or surgery.

“Mark enjoyed lorry driving and the different places it would take him. He is very much family-orientated, always worrying about others. He adores his dogs Nala, Sweep, Cedar and Acorn. He is a dad to Matt and grandad to Isaac, and is eagerly waiting for his second grandson to be born early August.

“All we as a family can hope for is that Mark is comfortable, and that in what little time he has left he will be making memories to cherish with his family. Mark's family mean everything to him.”

Friend James Perkins, who set up a GoFundMe page with Mark, said: “During this incredibly difficult time we want to support him and his family by helping ease financial pressures and allowing them to focus on what matters most - spending precious time together and making memories.”

The GoFundMe page - Help Us Support Mark - A Friend and Family Man - has raised £1,280 of its £2,200 target.