A TORFAEN MOTHER-OF-TWO is aiming to raise money for her fiancé's funeral after he died unexpectedly in his sleep.

Teresa Hart, who lives on Glenview Road, Trevethin, has spoken of her heart ache at the sudden death of 33-year-old Gaetano Esposito.

"He was himself the night before he passed," said Miss Hart.

"I last saw Gaetano at 10.45pm when he was watching an action film downstairs and I had decided to go upstairs.

"The following morning, so Saturday, May 13, I went to wake him up but he wouldn't wake up."

The 41-year-old carer said she attempted CPR in an effort to "bring him round".

She said: "I was doing CPR and thought it was going to work.

"He was the last person I wanted to go from my life.

"He was only 33 and would have been 34 on Monday and we arranged to go to Italy, where Gaetano was born.

"We were together 24 hours a day for four and a half years and now we're not."

Miss Hart said that Mr Esposito had not been complaining of feeling ill that night.

She said: "He was absolutely fine that night.

"This is a part I find shocking because he hadn't been ill."

She added: "I am devastated and worry about being alone.

"It's only me now with my 15-year-old son, James, and 16-year-old daughter Maria.

"He thought of them as his children - that's how close they were."

Miss Hart said that the most important thing for the family now is to raise the necessary money for Mr Esposito's funeral which will be held on Wednesday, May 31.

"I'm on benefits and need to raise money for the funeral.

"He's going to be buried in Italy and there will be two funerals - one here and the other in Italy.

"There's going to be a funeral here because he was brought up in Newport and Pontypool."

She added: "I hope that as many people as possible will donate towards the £5,000 target."

"We'd like to see people who knew him come."

The funeral will take place at St Patrick's Church, Newport on Wednesday, May 31.

To make a donation, visit https://www.gofundme.com/gaetanos-journey-to-heaven