THE Bridport woman who shared 65-year-old celebrity chef Keith Floyd’s last moments has spoken of her regret that they never married.

Celia Martin was Keith’s friend for 40 years but they only became romantically involved early last year following the death of her husband David in 2007.

Her children did not approve and they never formalised their relationship.

Speaking from her home in South Street, Celia said they were out on a double celebration on Monday for her 65th birthday and getting good news from his cancer specialist after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in June. He had undergone five operations in Spain.

“We went to have lunch at Hix’s in Lyme Regis for my birthday treat. He was in great form, feeling marvellous, saying: ‘I haven’t felt this well for ages’.”

After the meal at fellow celebrity chef Mark Hix’s Fish House, Keith had a siesta but woke up with a headache, said Mrs Martin.

They had been planning to watch the show Keith meets Keith on Channel 4 but he fell asleep watching University Challenge, she added.

Then his breathing began to sound erratic so she phoned 999.

“They were here for an hour trying to resuscitate him.

“Then they took him to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester because they thought there was a possibility they could help him. They weren’t going to give up.

“It is such a shame. His work was just beginning to return and he was feeling much stronger and since he’d been in Bridport he felt so much better and was going out everyday.

“I am still in a state of shock.

“I don’t feel he’s gone and I can’t get to grips with it at all.

“There is still his cigarette ash in the ashtrays and his clothing in the washing is all still there.

“I expect him to wake up and get out of bed any minute.

“I wish we had been married.

“I couldn’t even get through to the hospital because they had put a press embargo in place and I couldn’t get any information.

“We would have got married but my children didn’t approve. They used to like him a lot before we got together but after that my daughter Thea didn’t even want me to talk to him on the phone.

“I don’t know why they minded so much.”

Mrs Martin says she thought their relationship had a much better chance of surviving then his previous ones.

“Because we had been friends for so long and I was his age.

“He was very gentle and kind and enormously considerate. There was a very gentle soft side to him. He was a very good companion.”

“He had an exciting life but he sort of get fed up with adoration and women’s knickers.

“He fell out of love with being famous.”