THERE were tears amid the smiles when cancer sufferer Annalise Scott held her wedding day at James Cook University Hospital.

The bride is a cancer patient at the Middlesbrough hospital's ward 14 and her wedding, the first ever held at the Trinity Holistic Centre, a support centre in the hospital grounds, was organised in just 24 hours and held last week.

She married Kev Wilson on his 52nd birthday wearing an ivory gown donated by Laura Day bridal and other help came from the children at Playdays nursery who made paper hearts for decoration.

Annalise, 45, of Redcar, thanked staff and volunteers across the hospital and support centres who donated items such as fairy lights, silver bells, flowers, plants and food. Both the centre and the cancer ward were decorated for the special day.

“It has been an amazing day and I cannot thank the staff from ward 14 enough, for everything they have done for us and for looking after me,” she said. "Also thanks to the Trinity Holistic Centre staff and everyone who has helped make our wedding day so special. All of the staff were so welcoming and helpful throughout the whole day. We really can’t thank them enough."

Heather McLean, business manager at the centre, which requires about £330,000 in charitable donations every year to keep it going, said it was the first time the centre had been asked to perform a wedding, which was conducted by the hospital chaplain.

She added it was “heart-warming” to see the way people rallied round to make the bride’s day so special.

“It was a privilege to be part of this lovely couple’s special day and to see the way so many volunteers just pulled together and went out of their way to help,” she said.

“This included people who had never even met Annalise or Kevin.

“We had 22 hours’ notice, but in that time, Annalise could have had three wedding dresses as people brought different ones in.

“People were donating random bits and pieces to decorate the centre, and we thought it might look a bit eclectic – but it looked beautiful.”

Kind volunteers turned hairstylists and beauticians for the day, giving Annalise and other patients on Ward 14 a makeover especially for the ceremony.

Staff at the Holistic Centre, which provides complementary therapies for cancer sufferers, turned the centre into a bespoke wedding venue, complete with a ceremony arch, flowers, balloons, lights and wedding buffet.

Allsorts cake makers and decorators donated a wedding cake, Flower Pot florists provided the flowers and 1st Stop Party Shop sent balloons.