The funeral has been held of a woman with a brain tumour who had been planning to renew her wedding vows to her husband of 57 years, but died less than three weeks before the big day.

The Comet: Ted and Rose Nutt spent 57 happy years married.Ted and Rose Nutt spent 57 happy years married. (Image: Archant)

Aston’s Rose and Ted Nutt met in Tottenham when they were just 17 years old and got together at a dance hall when Ted offered to share an orange with her.

Ted said: “I must admit, when I first saw her I was bowled over. She had her blonde hair in ringlets and was utterly gorgeous.”

They married in 1960 and moved to Stevenage with their two children, Stephen and Maxine, in 1979, before moving to a dilapidated cottage in Aston in 1990, which was to become their forever home.

The pair lived a happy life together, but in March Rose suffered a stroke and was taken to Lister Hospital in Stevenage, where she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and given six to eight weeks to live.

Her granddaughter, Charlotte Houchen, said: “Our world collapsed, but she took the news with the most composure I have ever seen. She said ‘We all have to go eventually’, and nothing more was said.”

At 2am one night, while in Lister, Rose was practising with her new mobile phone when she decided to call Ted, telling a night nurse she had something important to ask him.

Ted recalls: “She said ‘Hi Ted, will you marry me again?’ and I said ‘A million times, yes.’ I was over the moon.”

Rose returned home as soon as she was able and the whole family rallied round to care for her.

Charlotte said: “We had regular sing-a-long evenings. We set up a playlist with all of her favourite songs, which she would mouth the words to, even in her final days.”

Rose and Ted were due to renew their wedding vows on May 21 – their 57th wedding anniversary – and Rose had managed to book everything, from the dress and shoes to the church, flowers and party.

She had even sent invitations, which said ‘some things are worth saying twice’, but she died on May 9, holding Ted’s hand.

She was 75 when she died and her funeral was held last week.

Ted said: “She was wonderful - always happy. She was a very active person, walking everywhere, and even did a marathon at 72 and a half-marathon the following year.”

Asked what he loved most about Rose, Ted said: “Everything.”