Just weeks ago, the future beckoned like an endless summer for the pair after Mr Woods proposed on bended knee.

But that future has been cruelly cut short.

In the grimmest possible diagnosis, Mr Woods has been given just months to live.

Imagine if it was your family.

Imagine the heartache of having to tell your children you would not be there to see them grow up.

Imagine facing the prospect of leaving your partner to bring up those children alone.

Family friend Julieanne Crosby did imagine it – and she acted.

In a breathtaking display of community spirit, she organised in six hours what normal couples take six months to do.

Harnessing the formidable power of social media, Ms Crosby pierced the hearts of thousands and was deluged with offers of help – photographers, accommodation houses, hairdressers and more.

A week from today, Mr Woods and Ms Montgomery will walk down the aisle in front of about 30 close family and friends.

But there will be thousands of others watching on in spirit, praying the day is every bit as special as the couple had dreamed.

Happiness can be fleeting but hope endures.

This is an extraordinary community – connected, compassionate and charitable.

And even in our darkest hour, that’s something we should never forget.

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ANYONE who has witnessed the aftermath of a dog attack on sheep will know how stomach-churning and barbaric it can be.

As authorities grapple with how to stamp out the wild dog menace in the region, some farmers, like Tintinhull’s Robert Langner, are confronting an even more immediate threat –  domestic dogs.

Dogs will always act on instinct, so the best way to safeguard against an attack is to remove the temptation.

Keep your dog locked up and away from livestock when it’s not being worked.

If you can’t manage that, don’t be surprised if your dog “disappears” or your neighbour rocks up at your doorstep with a hefty bill for the damage it’s done.