THE girlfriend and family of a man who died of cancer have won their fight to keep his headstone.

Natalie Pilkington had been distraught after the vicar objected to her boyfriend's headstone because it included the engraved message "My soulmate. Love always, Natalie xxx."

She and her boyfriend's family were told to remove the stone as it was not in keeping with others in the village churchyard.

Natalie, who works at NHS Direct in Ladybridge, was prepared to fight all the way to keep the stone in tribute to Andrew Barlow who she had been due to marry last summer before he was diagnosed as having a brain tumour.

Andrew, from Wigan, died aged 25 last June after becoming ill 18 months previously.

The Wigan Athletic fan's devastated family and 23-year-old Natalie consulted closely over what kind of stone to have in his memory and spent weeks discussing the exact wording.

The Rev John Riley, who is vicar at St Anne's Church in Shevington, approached the family four months after the stone was put in place to voice his concerns, including the fact that the stone included an engraved Wigan Athletic badge and his nickname "Andy B". However, following a visit from the Archdeacon of Lancaster, the Venerable Colin Williams, earlier this week, the stone is now allowed to stay.

Natalie received the news as she was about to go on holiday to Greece and was "thrilled and relieved".

Andrew's mother, Jean Barlow, said: "We were all delighted. It's a big relief as we are coming up to Andy's anniversary."

Natalie and Andrew's family had received advice and support from the Cheetham family who won their battle to keep a headstone including a portrait of their 24-year-old daughter Hayley.

Tony Cheetham, whose family led a high-profile campaign to keep their daughter's headstone at Christ's Church in Harwood, said: "Natalie phoned us straightaway with the news and we are absolutely delighted that common sense has prevailed." A spokesman from Blackburn Diocese, which oversees the Wigan church, said: "The Archdeacon decided the stone could stay given the exceptional circumstances."