HERO grandmother Janet Mansfield and her husband first said "I do" 35 years ago. But after brave Janet saved her husband and their four grandchildren from her burning New-port home in January, they went ahead with renewing their wedding vows - a ceremony which was all the more sweet for the family.
The Argus revealed how Mrs Mansfield saved her husband David and their four grandchildren when fire broke out in their home in Elgar Avenue, Alway, on January 6. On Friday, the couple renewed their vows to mark their 35th wedding anniversary - with their grandchildren as bridesmaids and pageboys.
Mr Mansfield, who has terminal cancer, was only allowed out of hospital recently. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in December and needed lengthy treatment - prompting fears he might not be able to attend the ceremony.
But on Friday everything went without a hitch - and a beaming Mrs Mansfield said it was a very special day.
She said: "We've been looking forward to it so much - it means a lot to us." When fire broke out in a bedroom at her house, Mrs Mansfield fought her way through thick black smoke to rescue grandchildren Nicol, six, four-year-old Shanon, (cor) Gareth, ten, and eight-year-old Shane.
She returned to find her husband, who has only limited movement down one side of his body, lying on the floor of their bedroom and dragged him outside as upstairs windows exploded in the heat.
Bridesmaid's dresses and wedding outfits for the planned ceremony to renew the couple's vows were destroyed in the blaze and had to be replaced. But despite all their tribulations, the couple renewed their vows at St Teilos Church, Alway, on Friday, watched by their proud family.
The couple, who married in Rogerstone, are now hoping for some good news about their damaged house.
They have been living in temporary accommodation since the fire, which des-troyed the upstairs rooms, and Mrs Mansfield said the couple were keen to return to Elgar Avenue. She said: "The current accomodation is inadequate for my husband because it's all steps going up and down and he has problems walking. He's very ill at the moment and he gets problems with his speech.
"The sooner we get back to the other house the sooner we can move forward with our lives."
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