Grieving widow receives surprise gift from beyond the grave

A bride who was wed and widowed in just 48 days has spoken movingly about the surprise gift she received from beyond the grave, after her husband lost his long and painful battle with cystic fibrosis.

Lauren Pope, who also has the condition, feared she would forget what husband Darren Easton sounded like when he died aged 24. So she was stunned when a friend brought her a teddy bear that says 'I love you' in Darren's voice when squeezed.

Hairdresser Lauren, 24, from Watford, married Darren in hospital in December after doctors told him he had just weeks to live. He died last week.

Then her friend brought round the teddy.

Lauren told the Daily Mirror: "I was still very upset and didn't really understand but she said, 'Give it a squeeze,' and when I did it was Darren's voice saying, 'Hi, baby, just saying I love you and I miss you. You'll be my world for ever and always'."

She added: "It was so thoughtful of him – I was worried about forgetting the sound of his voice and now I never will. The teddy sits in Darren's place on the sofa at home and I squeeze him whenever I want to hear him again."