'He was my gift'

Julie Day treasures her engagement ring and wedding band, which she now wears, and the wonderful memories she has of Paul McCann, the man she was to marry in August.

Paul and Julie had known each other for 26 years, but friendship blossomed into romance in January and the lovestruck pair were over the moon at the prospect of spending the rest of their lives together.

Tragically their dream was shattered when 32-year-old Paul was killed in an accident on board HMS Tireless under the Arctic icecap last Wednesday (March 21).

Julie, who lives in Philadelphia, said: "Paul was the shiniest human being ever. He was the most beautiful person I have ever met.

"He was my gift.

"He was a perfect human being.

"I'm just blessed to have been able to love him."

Paul and Julie's families began a friendship when they met by chance at Disney World in Florida in 1981. They would regularly cross the Atlantic on visits.

Circumstances kept the pair apart over the years, until Paul's visit to Philadelphia in January when everything fell into place and they told each other how they felt.

Just a month later Paul proposed by text. In a whirlwind romance the couple had chosen their wedding place and even their children's names.

Paul handed in his notice to the navy, sold his car and put his Plymouth home up for sale. He was to move to Philadelphia and hoped to become a state trooper.

Julie, a 34-year-old project manager, said: "We just wanted to get married, have children, and live a quiet, boring, but funny life in the US.

"He always made me laugh, no-one could make me laugh like Paul."

Julie had put pictures of her and Paul into an album in preparation of their wedding.

She tearfully leafs through the photos with Paul's parents Brian and Pauline and sister Sharon at their Halesowen home.

They laugh and cry about the happy times shared with the man they all loved.