An old camper van is going to play a key role at a couple’s wedding as a tribute to the bridegroom’s late father.

On sunny Sundays as a child, Billy Green used to get up the crack of dawn to go on adventures with his dad, Bill Green, in his T2 Viking VW camper.

The 30-year-old from Hoo said: “We would all go to Wateringbury [near Maidstone] fishing. While dad and grandad would teach us kids to fish, mum and nan would cook a feast for lunch.

“As I got a little older it just became me and dad who would go on fishing trips in the van, unfortunately it didn’t last long.”

When Billy was just eight, Mr Green had a stroke and was unable to drive the van anymore so the difficult decision was made to sell it.

“The camper was my dad’s pride and joy and held so many wonderful memories for the whole family,” Billy said. “The day my dad sold the camper it broke his heart.”

Just six months after it was sold, Mr Green had another stroke and passed away aged 67, when his son was just 10.

Billy said: “Growing up without my dad and facing so many milestones that other people get to share and enjoy with their parents has been difficult.

“Things that other kids my age were enjoying with their fathers I could just dream about, things like buying my first legal pint, having father/son chats, bringing home my first pay cheque, talks about girls, passing my driving test and now I’m about to face another one when I get to marry the woman of my dreams.”

Billy and fiancée Emma Wyres are set to marry in May 2017 in Rye, East Sussex and the couple wanted to find a way of including Bill in their special day.

They tried to track down the original camper van but to no avail. Instead they managed to find an almost exact match, the only problem is it was just a shell.

“I want one more special day with my camper and for that to be my wedding day, it’s the closest I can get to having my dad there.”

Billy and Emma had to dip into the wedding/camper van fund after Emma was involved in a car accident and the professional paint job they were hoping for looks unlikely to happen.

Emma, 31, from Lordswood, said: “We have gradually been buying parts for the VW to do it up but our biggest hurdle is finding somewhere to spray it. We’re looking for somewhere that is affordable for us or somewhere secure, where we can do it ourselves.”

Billy is also hoping to take his mum, Susan Green, for a weekend away in the camper van to remind them all of happier times. He said: “She has supported us all even when going through her own battle with cancer. I would love to be able to create the amazing memories that I have of my childhood for my family.”

Can you help Billy and Emma? Contact the newsdesk on 01634 227803 or email cfreeman@thekmgroup.co.uk