THE widow of Selby firefighter Andy Campbell, who died from a single stab wound, has spoken of her never-ending heartache.

Mother-of-four Debbie Campbell also revealed that her husband had told her just a few weeks before his death that he was "going to die young".

Mrs Campbell said: "He suddenly started taking days off work to spend time with me and the children. We went on days out to the east coast, which we normally didn't do because he was so dedicated to the fire brigade.

"When he told me he would die young I just laughed and told him not to be so daft.

"It was really weird - it's as if he had a premonition"

Mr Campbell, 40, a car mechanic and part-time firefighter, died after suffering a single stab wound to the chest during an incident outside the home of medic and former part-time firefighter Thomas Richardson on August 5 last year.

Speaking at her home, in Hempbridge Close, Selby, Mrs Campbell said she felt as though she was "dying inside".

She said: "I've been hurt as much as I possibly can be and I don't think I'll ever get over it.

"I keep expecting him to walk through the door or his fire brigade alerter to go off during the night. It's like living in a black hole and you can't get out of it."

She added: "We had so many plans for the future. We promised ourselves a honeymoon because we never had one and Andy was planning to surprise me by buying a caravan.

"That has all been taken away from me and I feel very bitter."

Mrs Campbell, 41, who works at Selby's Somerfield supermarket, said she had constant flashbacks and still found it difficult to sleep at night.

She says her two children with Andy - Anna, 15, and David, 11 - were coping better than her at the moment.

She said: "It's sinking in now that I'll never be able to touch or talk to him again.

"I hear some of my friends moaning about their husbands and I tell them never to take them for granted.

"I'm lucky that I've got family and friends to help get me through.

"Andy's firefighting mates have been brilliant. They've raised over £9,000 and that's been put away for the kids."

Updated: 11:07 Friday, February 08, 2002