The widow of a man who died four days after they married has paid tribute to him.

Andy Golby, 34, died from sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, on July 18.

Days earlier he had wed girlfriend Patricia Rojo in a quiet ceremony at Hove Town Hall. The couple met six years ago on the internet.

Mrs Golby, 29, of Deanway, Hove, said: "We got very emotional and felt like it was the last bit to do in our relationship."

The couple's best friends flew from Spain to act as witnesses.

Mrs Golby said: "It was beautiful. Afterwards we went to The Grand hotel in Brighton to celebrate. We both felt like it was the first day of our relationship - so much love and excitement."

The next day they held a party at home with friends and were planning a special dinner for their families on August 5, the day after what would have been Mr Golby's 35th birthday.

Mr Golby was diagnosed in November 2004, six months after he first complained of pain. During his battle he was inspired by former Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who beat cancer.

Mr Golby wrote on the cyclist's website an account of his own ordeal and described the moment he was told he had the disease.

He wrote: "They finally told me I have sarcoma. Not knowing what sarcoma was I asked, 'is it cancer?'. 'Yes and to put it frankly, you have got a fight on your hands'. Boom! It hit me so hard."

Sarcoma is a cancer of the connective tissues, including bone, muscle and nerves. It accounts for about one per cent of all cancer diagnoses and there are about 2,400 cases in the UK each year.

The cancer spread to Mr Golby's liver, lungs, spine and pelvis and he was treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

He was told one side effect of the treatment was that he would never be able to have children. He wrote: "This was the one thing that cancer took from my heart."

He was due to start drugs trials in a final bid to get rid of the cancer on August 9.

Mrs Golby, who works in administration at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, said: "We didn't have a long time as a married couple but we did have a long time as a couple in love and we will be in love for ever.

"We had gone to the hospital in Brighton and, while waiting for a blood transfusion, he died of what they think was an intracranial bleed."

Mr Golby's funeral took place yesterday at Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton.

Donations in his memory can be sent to the Royal Marsden Foundation c/o Philip Evans Funeral Services, 172 Old Shoreham Road, Southwick.