TODAY should have been the happiest day of their lives, but Bolton couple John Maloney and Maggie Simmons are happy just to be together again.

The couple, of Crossdale Road, Breightmet, were due to be married today after a whirlwind romance of just three months.

But Mr Maloney, 42, has spent most of the last month unconscious and in intensive care after an horrific road accident brought on by a heart attack. Happily he is now back home, although he does not know if he will ever be able to work again.

Ms Simmons, 48, kept a vigil by John's bed at Rochdale's Birchhill Hospital.

Security guard Mr Maloney was pulled from behind the wheel of his van after it crashed into a house on Milnethorpe Road on Wednesday, August 9.

He had suffered a heart attack at the wheel and slumped forward on the accelerator causing the van to career into the house.

He suffered a broken collar bone, a broken nose and a collapse lung in the crash.

Ms Simmons, who was in the passenger seat at the time and suffered cracked ribs as a result, described the ordeal as "terrifying".

"John just fell forward," she said. "He had just gone into fourth gear and within seconds we had hit the front of the house. There was nothing I could do to stop it."

Mr Maloney says he remembers nothing about the accident -- his next recollection came as he woke up in hospital three weeks later.

He was pulled from the wreck of the car by cabbies Dave Fletcher and Pete Williams who gave him first aid.

Both men were praised by the emergency services for their bravery.

"We have seen the taxi drivers since to thank them for what they did," said Ms Simmons. "Without their help I doubt John would be here today."

Mr Maloney, who has had five heart attacks, now doubts he will ever work or drive again.

But he is hoping that he and Ms Simmons can still tie the knot in time for Christmas.

"With my job going things are difficult for us now but we have a lot of friends who have stood by us and we can't thank them enough," he said.

"It is sad that today isn't the big day but it will happen, hopefully this year when I am in better health."

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