The wife of a drummer and photographer who fought serious illness to pursue his dreams has paid tribute after he died earlier this month.

Simon and Claire Cooper got married June 21 at North London Hospice, where he was living with incurable lung cancer, in a ceremony organised with the help of friends, family and the hospice in less than 24 hours.

Mr Cooper, who had worked as a photographer for Status Quo and a drummer with Chas and Dave, died on Sunday, July 10, aged 33.

Mrs Cooper said they had met through a Facebook dating app, and he had lived up to her first impressions of him as “lovely, sweet and a gentleman” when they went on their first date in July 2013.

She said: “We met at a pub Simon chose, he researched pubs who do gluten free as I was then, which was very thoughtful.

“When we first met we clicked it was like we knew each other for ages. He told me about his life story and I was inspired.

“Simon had many achievements, had so many projects on the go, always keeping busy and living life to the full. I admired him and he was inspirational to lots of people.”

Born with a blocked bowel and diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth, Mr Cooper overcame these obstacles to pursue his dream to be a professional musician.

He became drummer for Chas and Dave after being talent spotted at the Chickenshed Theatre by the stars themselves, and played two gigs a night with his oxygen cylinder hidden behind his drum kit.

In 2012 he received a call saying there was a set of lungs ready for him and an ambulance would pick him up in one hour, at 4am. His second transplant lasted 17 hours, but allowed him to live a normal life.

But in January of this year, four years after his transplant, he was diagnosed with incurable cancer in the transplanted lung, and moved to the hospice.

Mrs Cooper said while her husband at the beginning did not like the idea of staying in a hospice, he soon become to enjoy living there feeling happy and comfortable.

She said: “The staff, nurses and volunteers all got to know us, we could tell it's their passion in what they do. They did manage to get Simon’s pain under control.

“I kept saying I wanted to marry Simon and to bring our wedding forward. So on June 19, I said I want to marry Simon on Tuesday.

“I told the hospice and family and friends and in 24 hours we were married, it was the happiest day of our lives.”

His funeral took place last week, with Mrs Cooper insisting it would be a celebration of his “incredible” life.

She said: “Simon and myself liked to be different, unique. It wasn't a normal funeral. People were asked to wear bright colours or denim, we had Status Quo playing at the beginning and Chas and Dave at the end.

“During the funeral, at the precise moment the rabbi mentioned Status Quo we heard a big clap of thunder. We all laughed and said that's Simon playing his drums.”

Mrs Cooper said he would want to be remembered for being unique, having a weird sense of humour, and for his love of haribo sweets.

She said: “When he was diagnosed with cancer and on chemo, it didn't stop him, he came up with another project making merchandise like t-shirts, with all proceeds going to charities. He fought all his life until the very end.

“People will remember Simon as a big inspiration, a true fighter, stubborn, the list goes on.

"He touched so many people.”