Dying autistic man with 800 toy monkeys visited by real one

A dying autistic man with a life-long passion for monkeys was visited by a real one in hospital.

Ian Cadman, 58, who had more than 800 cuddly toy monkeys, met two-year-old marmoset Millie on the day he died.

Staff at Wigan and Leigh Hospice, Greater Manchester, had planned to surprise him with a visit to nearby Knowsley Safari Park.

But his ill-health meant he wasn't able to go, so they arranged for the monkey to be brought to him.

Mr Cadman, who had been diagnosed with cancer of the colon just five weeks before, died a few hours later surrounded by his family.

His twin sister Karen Lund said: "To know he's had a real monkey there with him, meant so much to us.

"Since he was tiny Ian loved monkeys and always had a monkey of some sort."

Despite never actually having a pet monkey to call his own, that didn't stop Ian enjoying a life filled with them.

Even in the hospital, Ian had to have two particular monkeys in bed with him - one called 'Jacko' and another called 'Monkey' - otherwise he couldn't rest.

Paying tribute, Ian's niece Jacinta Edgar, 35, said: "Ian was absolutely fabulous and was so much fun.

"He has over 800 toy monkeys and pictures of monkeys on his wall at his home. He loved monkeys and was bonkers for them.

"He also sponsored a monkey at Monkey World in Dorset - he couldn't get enough of it and was just monkey mad."