Terminally ill Man United fan gets bedside visit from Alex Ferguson Published duration 20 February

image copyright Samantha Nixon image caption Sir Alex Ferguson visited Damien Nixon while at Wythenshawe Hospital

A man diagnosed with terminal cancer had an "unbelievable" meeting with his football hero while in hospital.

Life-long Manchester United fan Damien Nixon, 32, was being treated at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester when Sir Alex Ferguson walked into his room.

The former Red Devils boss was at the hospital when friends of Mr Nixon, whose cancer has spread to his bones, liver and lymph-nodes, spotted him.

Sir Alex went straight to Mr Nixon's room when told about him.

Mr Nixon's wife Samantha told the Manchester Evening News her husband's friends tracked down Sir Alex on 11 February and waited outside a room in the hospital for him to emerge.

She told the newspaper: "When he came out, they just told him the situation. Fergie said, 'Where is he?' and he came straight away to Damien's room."

Mrs Nixon added: "Damien's reaction was just unbelievable."

image copyright Samantha Nixon image caption Damien and Samantha Nixon were married on 13 February

Days after hearing his diagnosis, Mr Nixon, from Manchester, proposed to Samantha, his partner of 10 years, and the couple married the day before Valentine's Day.

Mrs Nixon said that when her husband dies, he would like his funeral to reflect his love for the team and everyone would be asked to wear a Manchester United top or the colour red.

"I've just got myself one with his name on the back and his lucky number 23," she said.

"He wants a big MUFC wreath - he's Man United through and through."