THE widow of a Bicester man who died from cancer shortly after learning he was to become a father for the first time has given birth to twins.

Shelly Nicklin, whose husband Jamie died after a three-year battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, gave birth to a boy and a girl.

The 21-year-old, of Longfellow Close, Bicester, named her children John James after Jamie's grandfather, and Hope Rae.

They were born two weeks early by Caesarean section at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital on March 22. John weighed 5lb 9oz, and Hope 4lb 10z.

The couple, who had fallen in love during the early stages of Jamie's illness, married at The Garth bandstand on September 23, 2004.

Shelly underwent IVF treatment and they were told she was expecting twins before Jamie died.

A scan showed that one of the twins was a boy and it was Jamie's decision to name him after his grandfather.

Jamie's mother Pauline, 46, said: "They have a hint of ginger hair, like their dad. They're adorable. John is the spitting image of Jamie, it's uncanny. I'm such a proud nana.

"The babies have given us a really big focus. Jamie knew he was having a boy and he was so happy. He couldn't have left any better."

Shelly said the support from her mother Amanda, Pauline, and other relatives and friends had been wonderful.

She said: "The twins are brilliant. They are very good babies. If it wasn't for the twins it would be even harder trying to cope with the loss of Jamie.

"He would have been over the moon with them and would have made a brilliant dad. I miss him all the time and it's still very hard."

Jamie, a former Bicester Community College pupil and Bicester Rugby Club player, was 24 when he died.

Pauline said: "We're doing OK. We're still coping on a day-to-day basis and we miss him so much. John's mannerisms are so like Jamie's. It's lovely and strange at the same time.

"It was really nice being able to be at the birth. Shelly is a natural and she's doing amazingly well."

Jamie was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after he discovered a lump in his neck in May 2004. He underwent extensive treatment, including chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

A memorial rugby match between his former team-mates and the club's current team has been organised by Bicester Rugby Club on Sunday, May 4, kicking off at the club's Oxford Road ground at 3pm.