A former rugby player from Marlow lost his battle to cancer aged just 29.

Henley Hawks star James Comben sadly died last Sunday (August 5) after being diagnosed with t-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer, last year.

He died just two months after he married his partner, Elle Thomson.

Mr Comben, who attended Desborough College, in Maidenhead, found out his cancer had returned after being given the all-clear following nine months of chemotherapy.

The pair moved their wedding, which was set to take place next year, forward, planning it in just four days after receiving the devastating news.

They married at St Mary the Virgin Church, in Hambleden, on June 3 and hosted their reception at The Bounty, in Bourne End with a number of Mr Comben’s former Henley Rugby Club teammates invited to celebrate the couple’s special day.

Writing in a final, heartbreaking blog post on July 26, Mr Comben said: “A day of love, genuine love, joy, happiness and celebration is what we wanted and it’s what we got.

“Like I said in my speech ‘without you all here it’s a wedding, with you all here it’s a celebration’.

“Those words couldn’t be truer and Elle and I are forever grateful for making our day simply put the best day of our lives. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

“We march on and see what comes next in the treatment department and fingers crossed something positive.”

Following his death, tributes poured in for the star, with Geoff Lloyd writing on social media: “Very sad indeed about James Comben.

“A great player and a lovely bloke. Privileged to have seen him play many times and will cherish those memories.

“Will think about his family today and count my blessings.”

And Jamie Adewale Davies, who played a season with the fly-half, wrote: “Such awful news to hear this news that such a great man has been taken far too soon.

“I had the pleasure of playing one season with you and it was safe to say you accepted me like a brother instantly.”

James made his debut for the Henley Hawks in 2009 after coming through the junior ranks at the club.

He went on to play 167 games and the club said he was was “instrumental” in the two promotion campaigns in 2013 and 2015.

The 2014/15 season saw him finish in the top five point scorers in the league.

In a statement on August 7, the club said: “It is with deep sadness that the club has to announce that former Hawk James Comben passed away on Sunday following his battle with cancer.

“All of our thoughts from everyone at the Club are with his family and friends, in particular his wife Elle, his parents Nigel and Liz and sisters, Susie and Christa.

“The club will acknowledge James's fantastic contribution to Henley RFC and these plans will be announced in due course.”

Mr Comben’s funeral will take place on Thursday this week at the Chilterns Crematorium followed by a reception at the Kings Chapel, behind the Kings Arms Hotel, in Amersham.