IN A bittersweet celebration, a Hexham couple are marking the publication of their son’s book 18 months after his death.

Andrew and Sarah Greaves’ son David died in September 2016 at the age of 31, just 15 months after he’d been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

During those 15 months, the previously ultra-fit marathon runner and Iron Man triathlete got married to girlfriend Philippa, climbed most of Mt Kilimanjaro with her, raising over £12,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association in the process, and put the finishing touches to not one, but nine children’s books.

As he gradually lost the use of his arms and speech, he completed his writing by using the revolutionary Eye Gaze technology, which allowed him to type by tracking the movement of his eyes.

The first of them, Mr Snuffles’ Birthday , is out now on bookshelves courtesy of Clink Street Publishing.

Andrew said: “This is not an MND story now – this is about David, the author.

“He was very clear, before he died, that he wanted his books to speak for themselves in the normal critical process.

“He wrote 10 books in all and when you see them, I think you will see they do, indeed, speak for themselves.”

David’s first book, The Homeless Bumblebee & Me , was published originally under the auspices of the Friends of the Earth. Out of contract with the environmental charity, that is about to be republished too.

As for Mr Snuffles’ Birthday , which has been illustrated by the highly- acclaimed Emily Wallis, it will be officially launched during an evening at Corbridge’s Forum Books, on May 15.

There will be a second celebration, in Bamford in Derbyshire’s Peak District, where David grew up. “That will give all his school friends and his English teacher the chance to come along and remember David and celebrate his life and achievements with us,” said Andrew.