THOUSANDS of pounds have been raised for a Newport man to renew his wedding vows after he was told he only had a few months to live.

Afghanistan veteran Anthony Hard, aged 35, had been battling a brain tumour but was told earlier this month that he would only have between three to six months to live as it had spread and was now a grade 3/4.

Corporal Hard first underwent surgery to remove a golf ball-sized tumour in April 2012, and then again in February 2013 when the disease returned. An aircraft engineer in the Royal Air Force, he was stationed in Afghanistan in 2011 when received his first diagnosis.

But after his most recent prognosis, he posted on Facebook on July 15: "I've just come back from Velindre Cancer Centre and my tumour has spread. It's now grade 3/4 and they have said that I have three to six months. I'm going to try the pcv chemo, starting on Friday. Starting steroids tomorrow, I WILL beat this!"

Since then a Facebook fundraising campaign has been launched, and raised more than the £4,000 target in just 11 hours.

Dozens of local businesses have offered their support and services in any way they can.

It is not the first time that Anthony and his wife Nahella have had to battle against the odds.

Their four-year-old son Casey suffers from severe epilepsy, cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia after being starved of oxygen at birth.

After the campaign was launched for them to renew their vows, Nahella, Anthony’s wife, wrote on Facebook: “This is something we have wanted to do for years. We planned to do it for our 10th wedding anniversary but things changed for us at that time, with Casey and Anthony being diagnosed.

“It was our 13th anniversary in July and we'd love to make this happen. Thank you for your support.”

A fundraising campaign - Casey’s Cause - was set up for the couple's son in 2013. Since then, the family has been able to buy a range of specialised equipment for him, including a hot tub for hydrotherapy and a harness that allowed him to walk for the first time, whilst they have also started to put an extension on their house partly using grant funding with a specialist bath.

Anthony’s brother, Simon, said they had been overwhelmed by the support from people for the wedding vow renewal service, with a total of £5,378 raised in just two days.

“It’s been amazing, not just with the support from family and friends but from complete strangers,” he said.

“All the family really appreciate it.”

He said they were al looking forward to the special day.

“It’s going to be good to get the memories, not just for Anthony but for everyone else too,” he added.

Of Anthony’s recent prognosis, his brother said: “He always puts on a brave face and is still smiling whenever someone comes round. He’s still chirpy and as active as he can be”.

Hannah Matthews, who runs Premium Event Planners, came up with the idea of the couple renewing their wedding vows after hearing about Mr Hard’s recent news.

Despite living in Portugal and being nearly six-months pregnant she has managed to organise the ceremony, reception and the support of all the local businesses who have volunteered to help.

Mrs Matthews, who has known the couple since she was 16, when she worked in the Kings Arms in Caerleon, said: “It shows how the community here in Newport has come together and supported the Hard family,” she said.

“Everything you could possibly want in a wedding has been donated by incredible businesses in Newport.”

She added: “They are going to go back to the same place where they had their reception when they got married.

“It’s going to be a very small ceremony with just close friends and family as it’s going to be very emotional. “

The vow renewal service will take place on Tuesday August 4.

To donate to the Hard family go to http://www.gofundme.com/8g8r5tqn2t