A CELEBRATION of much-loved granddad's life is today being planed to raise money for a Suffolk hospice.Former welder Barry Chetty died in August after developing a tumour and now his wife, Wendy, is organising an event to remember her husband and hopefully raise £3,000 for St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds.

A CELEBRATION of much-loved granddad's life is today being planed to raise money for a Suffolk hospice.

Former welder Barry Chetty died in August after developing a tumour and now his wife, Wendy, is organising an event to remember her husband and hopefully raise £3,000 for St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds.

Mr Chetty, 53, who lived in Foden Avenue in Whitehouse, Ipswich, before moving to Wetherden, near Stowmarket, three years ago, was so loved that Ipswich's Whitton Church was packed for his funeral.

Mrs Chetty, 50, said: “He was a wonderful man. He was so gentle and loved his family so much.

“We met at Murrayside Youth Club in Nacton when I was 15. He was the only boyfriend I ever had. I feel very lonely now.”

The couple, who have three children, Vanessa, 32, Colleen, 30, and Westley, 28, first noticed something was wrong two years ago when Mr Chetty started experiencing seizures.

Later an MRI scan at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge revealed a tumour on the left side of his head, just above his ear and near his brain.

Mrs Chetty, a shop manager with five grandchildren, said: “He had an operation to remove it but they couldn't take all the tumour away because it was too near his brain.

“When we went back we were told it was life-threatening.

“They said he needed chemotherapy and radiotherapy which he had, but the tumour kept growing.

“I never told him he was going to die because he was such an emotional person.”

Eventually Mr Chetty needed full-time support as he had started to fall over, so he went to St Nicholas Hospice where he died on August 8.

Mrs Chetty said: “They were absolutely fantastic.

“They looked after Barry so well and if it wasn't for charitable donations they wouldn't be able to provide care like that. I really want to give something back.”

So Mrs Chetty has organised a celebration of her husband's life at the Loraine Victory Hall in Bramford on April 12 starting at 7.30pm, where she hopes to raise £3,000.

The event will include a bar, raffle and BBQ as well as live singers.

For tickets, which cost £5, call Wendy Chetty on 01359 245201.

Would you like to pay a tribute to Barry Chetty? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.