THE husband of murdered Celeste Bates and father of their two children has remarried in a bid to rebuild his shattered life.

Ian Bates spoke of how new-found love has helped him cope with the triple murder on the eve of the inquest into the prison death of killer Peter Hall.

In an exclusive interview with the Bolton Evening News, 38-year-old Mr Bates revealed he has found happiness again after marrying last year.

He still lives in the same house where Celeste, aged 31, Daniel, eight, and Milo, 17-months-old, were brutally murdered.

Mr Bates married beautiful Columbian-born Geomar, aged 27, after meeting her on a business trip to Bogota.

The printing firm director, who controls a Manchester and Dublin-based company, admitted the couple want to have a family.

He said: "We're going to try for a family. Having children will help me so much."

The couple tied the knot at Mere Hall registry office 12 months ago, following a whirlwind romance after meeting in the Columbian capital.

Mr Bates, of Blackburn Road, Egerton, told Geomar about the murder of Celeste and the two children early on in the relationship.

He said: "It was nightmare having to tell Geomar what had happened. I was in a hell of a state.

"We sat down for three or four hours and talked about it all. I expected I would break down and I admit I had to have a stiff drink before I could talk about it.

"I told her how difficult it would be to get involved with someone like me because I'm still involved with three other people who aren't here anymore.

"But she fully understands the situation and sometimes she'll even say to me that she knows when, in my mind, I'm with them

"It was such a difficult thing to have to do but it's better to tell someone early doors about something as traumatic as this.

"She needed to be made aware of what had happened."

Mr Bates confirmed the couple plan to leave the house where the murders were committed in September 1998, and may even go abroad to forge a new life together.

He paid tribute to his new wife's support as he continues to confront the horror of what happened to his family at the hands of self-confessed killer Hall, of Moss Shaw Way, Radcliffe.

He said: "She's been fantastic. I think it's something about the Catholic family upbringing in her country which has helped me so much. She's been so calm.

"I was also a bit worried what her family would think.

"I didn't want them to tip-toe around me, I wanted them to be normal with me. But they've all been wonderful."

Mr Bates spoke just days before a coroner's court was to hear the inquest into Hall's death. He was found hanged in his cell at Wakefield Prison in December 1999.

Hall, who was Celeste's boyfriend at the time of the killings, murdered the young mum and her two little boys fearing she was about to return to her estranged husband.