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Distraught fiancee tells of heartbreak
A distraught teenager has told of her heartbreak after her young fiance died following an asthma attack.
Trainee electrician Stephen Downey died after he collapsed after a night out with friends.
He was planning to marry his sweetheart Kayleigh Stables, 17, next year.
She has revealed how she is having to come to terms with the tragedy, which happened on Saturday morning.
>> Read our book of condolence for Stephen
Kayleigh, who was also planning to go away on holiday with Stephen next month, said: "He was not only the love of my life but he was my best friend. He was my world.
Kayleigh from Hutton, was with Stephen when he collapsed shortly after 1am on Saturday morning.
She said: "It didn't seam real because he had asthma attacks before. Even when the ambulance came, I always thought he would just start breathing again.
"When we got to the hospital they wouldn't let us see him - they just said he was critical. They put us all in a room and then this woman came in to talk to us - it was like a scene from a movie.
"At that point, she didn't even have to say anything, I knew."
Kayleigh, who is studying business, sociology and English at Cardinal Newman College in Preston, is currently staying with Stephen's family in Leyland.
She said: "I've been staying in Stephen's bed and I keep clinging to his t-shirt and one of our photos together. I don't ever want to leave. It's comforting.
"We never spent a day apart. We really were madly in love and we'd mad plans to have babies and get married.
"Every day he would meet me outside college at 4pm. Now, when I wait in that usual spot, no one is going to be there.
"Stephen was my world - now I don't have one."
Despite doctors battling for to revive him, the former Wellfield High School pupil died at Chorley and South Ribble hospital, where his father works as a nurse.
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Weather for Preston
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: -3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South east
