A woman paid a loving tribute to her “fearless” husband after he lost a brave battle with cancer only weeks after they married.

David Ross Scott tied the knot with his wife Bethan just three weeks before he died aged 53 at their home, surrounded by friends and family in Vicarage Fields, Ruabon on Saturday.

The couple donated £3,600 gifted to them by wedding guests to Alzheimer’s Research, Nightingale House and Cancer Research UK.

Bethan, 47, said her husband had inspired a lot of people, especially during his 18-month illness.

She told how David, a former Merchant Navy navigator who was known to friends as DRS, had lived his life without fear.

She added: “His bravery just shone through for everybody. It was evident for everybody to see.

“He was so poorly but he was never frightened. He was fearless, he really was.”

David, who was born in Edinburgh and worked in various roles for Scottish Power for 33 years, first started to feel ill during a skiing holiday in February 2016.

After the couple, who were together for 13 years, returned home he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and underwent chemotherapy.

In June that year David had an operation to remove part of his stomach and a section of his oesophagus at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, but in September he started having headaches and a scan at Walton Hospital revealed a brain tumour.

A surgeon removed 95 per cent of the tumour four days after the scan, and he had radiotherapy in November and December.

But Bethan said that after a “lovely” Christmas with family and friends, her husband started having neck problems and was told the cancer had spread to the lining of his spine.

David also lost his parents, Rae and Neil, during his illness.

His wife told how the keen runner and cyclist adjusted to his situation, and continued working as an industry relationship manager for Scottish Power until the brain tumour.

“He took everything in his stride; he was just determined and positive and nothing fazed him,” she said.

During his illness David enjoyed taking art and woodwork classes and visiting Betws-y-Coed, and continued to socialise with friends and family.

“Even though it was so difficult and our life turned upside down, it was still such a lovely, special time,” Bethan added.

“It wasn’t an unhappy time. It was sad and difficult but David just made everybody think he was going to be OK, and I think that helped us all through it.

“His positivity, determination and bravery really helped everybody.”

The couple had been engaged for some time, not tying the knot due to work commitments, but decided to get married earlier this year and arranged the ceremony in four weeks with the help of family and friends.

They were married at Wrexham Guidhall and had their reception, which included a choral performance, in their garden.

“David just loved having a party and loved having friends around, our wedding wasn’t sad at all because it was almost like – and this sounds strange – David’s final goodbye to everybody, even though he probably didn’t think it at all at the time.

“But it was the final time he saw all his family and friends together in one place and he just loved it.

“Everybody had a really good time. I think he left everybody with a lot of good memories because everybody knew how poorly he was but he was so happy on that day.”

Bethan described medical staff who treated her husband as “amazing” and thanked those who had sent messages of condolence.

“I read the posts that people put on Facebook and the cards, and they just summed David up perfectly,” she said.

“He was intelligent, inspirational, he was determined, he was funny.”

Bethan told how she and her husband had lived in Ruabon for 12 years, and that he enjoyed walking in the area with their dog Monty.

“Ruabon was really, really special to him and he made so many friends.”

David, who is also survived by his sisters Katy Scott and Ruth Gillespie, will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at Ruabon Cemetery on Tuesday with a service of remembrance at St Mary’s Church at 12.30pm.

Family flowers only but donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Research, Nightingale House or Cancer Research UK.