IT was a kiss that proved Cupid's magic is still working as well as ever.

Peter Venis, who has a brain tumour, married fiancee Jeanie O'Neill, surrounded by family and friends, including the couple's seven-year-old son Elliott, at Teesside Hospice in Middlesbrough.

The couple, of South Bank, Middlesbrough, got together 15 years ago but Peter, 35, only popped the question two weeks ago.

"Peter just asked me out of the blue," said Jeanie, 39.

"We have discussed it over the years and then two weeks ago he said 'why don't we?'.

"He's been in and out of hospital and, at first, I thought how can we arrange it because he has a lot of fits these days as he has epilepsy. Then the hospice said 'why doesn't Peter come in here for a week and do it then'?"

Former taxi driver Peter said his partner had been a tower of strength during his two-year battle against cancer. "When I was in hospital she was there every day. She's been absolutely fantastic."

And both were full of praise for hospice staff who shared a champagne toast with them after the civil ceremony.

Jeanie, who has a daughter Emma, 22, and son Paul, 19, from a previous marriage, said: "The ceremony was lovely, really beautiful. I can't thank all the hospice staff enough for making it so special for us."

The couple have another reason to be excited this week because Peter's 19-year-old namesake son from a former relationship is due to become a father himself.

"It'll be quite a week - getting married and becoming a granddad," he said.

The couple say they are positive about the future, despite Peter's illness.

"He's had the tumour removed again but there's still some there," said Jeanie. "We don't know for sure what's going to happen but it's not really bad news because there's ongoing treatment he can have."