When Jim Shell found out he was dying, his one wish was that he would pass away at home, surrounded by his loved ones.

And thanks to the care of his wife, daughter and granddaughters, that is exactly what happened.

Now his family have urged others not to be afraid about asking for help if a loved one wants to die at home.

Mr Shell, 81, was first diagnosed with cancer of oesophagus seven years ago.

After an intensive course of radiotherapy, the Islip farmer beat the disease, only to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years later. The cancer then returned.

Mr Shell, a country music lover, had already told his family he wanted to die at home at Church Close, Islip.

With the help and support of the family’s GP, the Sobell House Hospice in Oxford and wife Barbara, daughter Sandra Beesley, and grandaughters Sophie and Vicky Beesley he was able to do so.

Sophie, 26, said: “On the day he passed away in August we dressed him in his cowboy outfit, which is what he wanted and played him his favourite country music. His favourite singer was Slim Whitman. He was peaceful towards the end. He took his last breaths and died with his wife by his side.

“My granddad died at home, cared for by his wife and daughter. We had all kept our promise.”

She said: “I’d say to people to not be scared about asking the options.

“I know some people don’t have family to look after them, but there is help and support out there for people to make the choices they want to.”

She said alarm bells began to sound when her placid and laid-back grandfather started to act out of character. She said: “He started forgetting things and getting frustrated.

“One day he tried to put a video in the DVD player, which I know a lot of families would just put down to old age but it was just not like him.

“Little things like locking the back door at night, which had always been his job, he’d suddenly just forget.

“He became no good with money, lost his way driving to places he knew very well, and also started to forget he had eaten through the day.”

Mr Shell was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach, liver and bones and given weeks to live.

Miss Beesley said: “He never complained even when he was in severe pain, and always managed a smile.

“His motto in life was ‘keep smiling’ and that he did.”