A man wept with joy after being given the best Christmas present ever - the all clear from cancer.

Five years on from when Jules Walker, 51, was told he had a cancerous mouth tumour, he was given the good news last Tuesday.

He is now looking forward to tucking into a turkey dinner on Christmas Day.

The former marine, from West Kingsdown, admitted he treats the anniversary of his diagnosis as an extra birthday, particularly as he ignored his symptoms for a long time.

He said: “I was an emotional wreck. I cried like I never had before. My wife called me at that moment and I couldn’t speak. It truly was tears of happiness and joy.

“I’ve always felt like I am on a positive footing and that things were going to be fine 95% of the time but there’s always that little niggle in the back of your mind it may come back.

“If Carlsberg did Christmas presents this would be their best ever. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I am bouncing and have a spring back in my step.

“Macmillan have been amazing at supporting me and my family through the good and bad times – my Macmillan nurse was truly my guiding light.”

His main goal after receiving successful treatment was for a traditional Christmas meal to be the first solid foot he ate.

He added: “I have always adopted a positive attitude to my life and even though my cancer was already stage four when it was diagnosed, I was determined to look to the future and enjoy Christmas dinner with my family.

“My spirits were always lifted by my Macmillan nurses who also supported my wife while I was undergoing treatment. They were always at the end of the phone to help with any queries big or small.

“Thanks to the success of the treatment I have had five extra years of life. It could have been very different as I ignored my symptoms for some time and only went to the doctor when I was struggling to swallow.”

Now Mr Walker can fulfill his goal after Macmillan teamed up with pub company Greene King to create a meal for people living with cancer.

Dietician at Medway Community Healthcare, Hannah Hatchett, explained how the disease can affect someone’s diet.

She said: “A cancer diagnosis can affect it in lots of different ways. As a consequence of their treatment some people with cancer may experience a dry and sore mouth, or have difficulty swallowing.

“These traditional recipes have been created to cater for a range of needs faced by people living with cancer.

"We have created delicious soft options and soups.

“Others may not have much of an appetite so the dishes are small and high in vital nutrients. We also know many people with cancer have low energy, so we’ve ensured these recipes are simple to prepare and cook too.

“Macmillan hopes these traditional festive recipes will also help people with cancer manage this emotional impact, by enabling them to enjoy a delicious meal with friends and family.”

Macmillan Cancer Support and Greene King have created a series of Christmas recipes for people living with cancer. For more information visit macmillan.org.uk/christmasrecipes