Brett Kinloch's bucket list fulfilled by wife in his memory

Sarah J Scott Photography Brett Kinloch with his daughters Freya (left) and Ella (right)Sarah J Scott Photography
Brett Kinloch, pictured with daughters Freya (left) and Ella (right), died on the same day Ariya was born

The wife of a man who met his newborn baby daughter just hours before he died has spent the year fulfilling his unfinished bucket list.

Brett Kinloch, 31, died of a brain tumour in February last year at Milton Keynes Hospital.

His wife rushed from another hospital 50 minutes after giving birth so she could place Ariya in his arms.

Nicola Kinloch said her husband was "still guiding" the family to add new experiences to their lives.

Nicola Kinloch with daughters Freya, Ariya and Ella at Ayers Rock
Nicola Kinloch said Australia was somewhere she had always planned to go to with Brett
Nicola Kinloch and family on a boat trip on Sydney harbour
Mrs Kinloch's parents also joined them to tick off dreams on the bucket list

Mrs Kinloch said since her husband died on 11 February, she had visited Australia - a place they had always wanted to travel to together - and jumped out of a plane.

The 32-year-old is also planning to run the London Marathon next year.

They were all experiences her husband had written down as life goals when he was 21.

Mrs Kinloch, from Linslade in Bedfordshire, said: "Brett had already done some of the things on his own and we ticked off a lot together as a couple.

"I knew it [the bucket list] was on the laptop so I dug it out and updated it after Brett died."

Dolly and Marist  From left to right: Freya, Ariya and Ella KinlochDolly and Marist
From left to right: Freya, Ariya and Ella Kinloch

Mrs Kinloch said the list had taken the family - their three daughters Freya, five, Ella, two, and Ariya, plus her parents - to see Ayers Rock and the Great Barrier Reef.

She also ticked off doing a skydive while in Australia.

"Australia was somewhere we had always talked about going together and although doing a skydive wasn't on top of my own priority list, I'm so glad I did it, it was such an amazing experience," she said.

The PE teacher added: "Brett is still guiding us, inspiring us and motivating us to add new experiences."

Nicola Kinloch doing a skydive
Mrs Kinloch said doing a skydive was an "amazing experience"

Mr Kinloch was diagnosed with the aggressive tumour in 2015.

His wife, who has raised awareness of the Stand Up to Cancer campaign, said he remained positive and "never lost hope" during his illness.

On the day of his death, Mrs Kinloch gave birth to Ariya at Luton and Dunstable Hospital, about 20 miles away from Milton Keynes Hospital.

She was born three hours before her father died.

Sarah J Scott Photography Nicola and Brett Kinloch on their wedding daySarah J Scott Photography
Nicola Kinloch said her husband "never lost hope" during his illness
Nicola Kinloch Ariya KinlochNicola Kinloch
Ariya was born three hours before Mr Kinloch died on 11 February 2019

Mrs Kinloch said 11 February - this Tuesday - would be bittersweet as it was Ariya's birthday as well as the day their "daddy died".

"But I want the girls to be aware that it falls on the same day," she said.

They plan to mark the occasion with a party for Ariya at the weekend and creating stone paintings to take to the cemetery on Tuesday.