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'I will die happy now Newcastle have won a trophy'

BBC Paul Atkinson is a 69-year-old man sitting in his house wearing a black and white scarf and top. Behind him is a guitar, a small juke box, an "on air" sign and a white dining table with four white chairs. He is wearing glasses and is bald BBC
Paul Atkinson has incurable prostate cancer and was told in 2022 he had between two and five years to live

A man who has incurable cancer says he will "die happy" because he has seen Newcastle United win a trophy.

Paul Atkinson, from Blyth, Northumberland, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in May 2022 and given between two and five years to live.

A lifelong Newcastle fan, his one hope was to live long enough to see his team triumph at Wembley.

"I thought when we lost there against Manchester United two years ago that was it, but we did it this time and I still feel like I'm dreaming," he said following Sunday's Carabao Cup victory.

Paul Atkinson is standing with his arms around two women who are wearing aprons and smiling. He is wearing a high-vis jacket with the words Stella Maris on it
Paul Atkinson, who used to work for the charity Stella Maris, is urging all men over 50 to get checked for prostate cancer

Mr Atkinson was born in 1955, the last year Newcastle won a major trophy, and has been a season ticket holder for much of his life.

"I first started going in 1966 after England won the World Cup, I was a Byker lad so me and my cousin Kenneth would walk down.

"I've been to Wembley three times and we lost every time, the last time was against Arsenal and I swore to myself I would never go through that again."

Paul Atkinson Paul Atkinson is standing outside St James Park with his hand raised in the air. He is wearing black clothes and carrying an orange bag. He's a man in his 60s with a big smile and is baldPaul Atkinson
Paul Atkinson first began going to Newcastle United in 1966 when he was 11 years old

When Newcastle reached the final of the Carabao Cup again after the disappointment of losing in 2023, Mr Atkinson was "sure they'd do it".

"I don't know why but I just thought it was our moment, and there were a few nervous moments at the end there but we got there and I'm just over the moon.

"Who knows perhaps I'll still be alive to see a new stadium."

Mr Atkinson, who worked for the charity Stella Maris as a chaplain looking after seafarers, is urging men over 50 to get checked out for prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men.

"I was waking up to go to the bathroom more often but I just didn't realise that was one of the symptoms," he said.

"People of my generation, and my father's generation, didn't talk about things like that."

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