THE family and friends of a Leigh man with just months to live aim to ensure he can enjoy one final magical Christmas with his young children.

Lee Rawlinson, 51, was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in late October – causing him to completely alter his approach to the future.

Determined to “make some extraordinary memories” with his children, Darcey, ten, and Marley, six, a fundraiser has been launched to help the family tick off a bucket list of magical experiences.

Top of the list is a holiday to Lapland over the festive season, as well as securing tickets to see Marley’s favourite team Arsenal play and meet the players.

A fundraiser has been launched by friends to raise money for the family to create memories together, with Lee certain it will be his “last Christmas”.

Wife Faye said that when Lee was given the terminal diagnosis, “it was like a nuclear bomb had gone off”.

She said: “We are throwing ourselves at the kids at the minute, we are making the memories, but we feel like it is a ticking time bomb. We have no idea how long we have and we are praying we have until after Christmas.

“We are trying to plan things, it is the only silver lining in all of this and there are things we wouldn’t have ever done.

“The only way we can keep positive is by living hour by hour. If there is anything that could come of this, we must grab hold of it.

“I have learnt to swallow my pride and let people do lovely things.”

The fundraiser has a target of £3,000 in the hope Marley and Darcey will be able to create the memories of a lifetime with their dad.

Lee said: “This is my main aim, my children have never been on a plane and I wanted to see them on one and see their faces as we make a trip to Lapland.

“Any experiences one can offer, we would be so grateful as it would be for the kids and I want experiences for them.

“There is nothing I can take with me in terms of possessions and I am not materialistic, it means nothing to me now. What means everything to me in this life is the children.

“My son Marley asked me if ‘I’m going to die and go up into the clouds’, I told him ‘not today, I am not going to go today’ but it will happen and it is just heart-breaking they are thinking about it.”

To donate, justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rawlinsons