Healthy grandfather places ad denying reports of impending death

On being given the all-clear from cancer most people might simply breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy a loving hug from their closest family.

But grandfather John Sutton obviously felt he needed to go further.

The Gloucestershire builder was so pleased he published a full-colour advert in his local paper to proclaiming to friends that he was NOT dying.



Friends of the 63-year-old were so convinced that he had contracted terminal cancer from working with asbestos that his final arrangements were already being planned.

And finally fed-up with sombre well-wishers, Mr Sutton, from Tredworth, near Stroud, decided to let friends and collegues know that he was very much alive and kicking as soon as he got the good news.

The advert, adorned with trumpeting angels, begins 'Allelujah!', mimicking American author Mark Twain's famous advert to his millions of fans denying he was dead.