A PROMISING young rock guitarist whose band was recognised by Pete Townsend, of The Who, and Alan McGee, the man who discovered Oasis, has died just days after marrying his childhood sweetheart.

Jack Milne, the 20-year-old singer, lead guitarist and songwriter with the Falmouth-based rock band Kinky Charlie, died on March 13 after a long battle with cancer.He lived with his family in West Street, Penryn, Over 100 mourners were expected to attend Jack's funeral at Penmount Crematorium in Truro on Tuesday. He played his last gig with his band at Falmouth Squash Club on Hallowe'en last year, a very emotional occasion as by then he was very ill and couldn't sing.

Jack and his fiancee, Kim, were married in a simple ceremony at the Falmouth Hotel on March 3. His father, Graham Milne, said it was an example of his son's determination that despite his debilitating illness he was still able to marry the girl he loved before his death.

"It was cancer but he always played that down," said Mr Milne. "You would never have known unless you were very close to him. He was first diagnosed when he was 14. It was Hodgkins disease initially but he responded to chemotherapy and went into remission but the cancer returned around three years ago and spread through the rest of his body."

Jack and Kim had known each other since they were 13 when they had been friends. Over the last three years it had become a serious relationship. It culminated in a fantastic wedding in the Falmouth Hotel. But now Kim has been widowed after just ten days of mar riage and aged just 21. "He asked me on Valentines day this year and I said yes," said Kim. "I absolutely adored him, he was an amazing person.

"I was so happy because it made him so happy. He almost didn't make it because he was so ill but he was determined because he really wanted to do it. It was an amazing day. Many people thought it was hard for me, caring for him when he was really ill, but it was easy because I loved him."

Father and son dressed in tartan at the wedding in recognition of their Scottish roots. Around 80 people attended the wedding and many more friends came to the reception to dance the night away to Jack's choice of music.

Jack hadn't been able to play in the band since he took a big nosedive in November just after the Hallowe'en gig at Falmouth Squash Club. He never really recovered after that and couldn't even pick up his beloved guitar and couldn't sing.

"He was more cut up about that than being diagnosed with cancer, he just lived for his music," said his father.

"He took it on the chin when he was diagnosed but at that time we were still hopeful that something could be done. He had already responded to treatment but just couldn't go on having chemotherapy. It would have killed him even sooner anyway.

"It wasn't a surprise when he died. It became clear on the Sunday after they got married that he was just so weak. How he got the energy to get up and get dressed for the wedding and give a speech I don't know because by this time he was pretty much bedridden. That just shows the level of his determination.

"I think Jack knew that this was the last chance he had to get everyone he knew together with big smiles on their faces and it was clear that he achieved that. It was important for him to remember people that way."

As well as his widow and father Jack leaves behind his mother, Fiona, his 18-year-old sister, Dani, nine-month-old stepbrother, Charlie, and step-mother Sarah.

Kinky Charlie started out in 2001 as a four-piece garage band based in Falmouth whilst the boys were still at school.

Founding members Jack and Matthew Dixon (drums, backing vocals) had known each other since they were babies together in Warwickshire before both families moved down to Cornwall.

The boys both went to King Charles School - which inspired the name of the band - before moving to Falmouth School. The final line up of the band was cemented with the addition of Angus Mitchell (bass) in 2005.

They were influenced by the classic song writing styles of The Beatles, Bowie and The Who and the 90's revival guitar-led sound of the Stone Roses, The La's and Oasis.

"When he was first diagnosed he begged me to teach him three chords on the guitar I used to play," said Mr Milne. "I taught him them then he stole my guitar and practiced in his bedroom for six months. When we realised he was getting quite good we bought him his first electric guitar. When Jack played I was hypnotised by his ability and he wrote all the songs."

In January of this year Alan McGee invited Jack and the band up to London to play a gig for him after they sent him a demo. Pete Townsend also invited them to his Richmond studios to do some recording but by then Jack was just too ill.

One of his biggest ambitions, said Graham, was to play the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, a festival that he loved. In order to try and fulfill that ambition in some way his father is to write to organiser Michael Eavis and ask if some of Kinky Charlie's music can be played over the PA system during the change over between bands.

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