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Father who was given cancer all clear falls to death on first night out since beating disease

Adam Fenton endured months of chemotherapy which shrunk his tumours 

Laura Elvin
Friday 24 November 2017 23:41 GMT
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Adam Fenton with his children on the beach where he was found dead
Adam Fenton with his children on the beach where he was found dead (SWNS)

A father fell off a cliff to his death on his first night out with friends to celebrate the "miracle" that he had been given all clear from a highly aggressive form of cancer.

Adam Fenton, 31, endured months of chemotherapy which shrunk his tumours and despite originally getting a grim prognosis from doctors, he was given the "all clear" around a month ago.

His body was discovered at the foot of cliffs on Newquay's Towan beach after he failed to return from a visit to the pub with his friends to celebrate his "all clear."

The roofer, was also planning his wedding to Carly Blackman, 33, with the help of their daughters Macie, six, Maddison, five, and his step-daughter Bayleigh, 13.

Diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma and blood cell tumours, around nine months ago, doctors also discovered tumours on his heart, lungs and lymph nodes.

But after months of super-strong chemotherapy which shrank the tumours. Just three weeks before his death a scan revealed they were no longer visible, and he was given the all clear.

Ms Blackman’s mother Rebecca Watson, 53, said his death was a "mystery", adding that the family man was "happier than ever" and had "everything to live for".

She said: "The cancer brought us all closer together. The tumours were so big. It was so much. We never thought he would come out the other side. But he did. They said that the tumours had all shrunk. They couldn't say he was in remission but he had a scan and they had all gone.

Adam Fenton with his daughter (SWNS)

"We were celebrating. We thought he would never get through it but he responded to the treatment. It was unbelievable.

"He got the all clear three weeks ago and now he's dead. They were about to get married and now the songs they picked for their wedding will be played at the funeral."

Police are still trying to piece together what happened, but it is understood he disappeared and friends thought he had simply gone home.

Ms Blackman went to bed after settling the kids and woke up wondering where Adam was. Police later knocked on the door to say his body had been found.

He was found by a dog walker. His death is currently being treated as unexplained.

"It is so early days but there is only a metal pole - a barrier - and if you walked up to the bush [at the edge] you would never think that the cliff edge was there,” Ms Watson said.

"He knows Newquay. I don't think he did it on purpose. He had absolutely no reason. He had his children, he had his family, he had the all clear, and he had everything to live for."

Ms Watson wants the authorities to make the cliff safer and speculated he entered the bushes not realising there was a sheer drop at the other side.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "A male was found on the beach by a member of the public. The ambulance service attended and he was pronounced dead at the scene. At the moment we are treating the death as unexplained."

SWNS

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