A POPULAR police officer with terminal cancer has spoken about how he'll never get to walk his daughters down the aisle.

Father-of-three Kevin Arnold, known as Arnie, was given two years to live in May 2008.

But the South Norwood based policeman believes his positivity has helped him defy this prediction.

Aged just 44, he is determined to make the most of his life with wife Tina, and daughters Lyric, 13, Venice, six, and Vienna-Bay, three, by his side.

Arnie said: "First of all I wasn't going to see my middle girl start school, which I did.

"Then I wanted to see my youngest start school – hopefully that will happen in September.

"But the big thing is I won't be able to walk my girls down the aisle to get married."

Arnie had been suffering a bout of nosebleeds for more than a year before his cancer diagnosis in January 2008.

An operation to remove a polyp from his nose revealed the growth to be a cancerous tumour which had spread from his kidney.

He was told by doctors that it was incurable.

Arnie said: "It came completely out of left-field. I was a fit and healthy guy who went to the gym.

"I didn't smoke, I liked a drink but nothing major and there was nothing in the family. So it came as a shock."

He was told by doctors to 'make the most of his time' with family and they used the word 'incurable' to describe his kidney cancer.

"It was hard to take, but I'm the type of person who digests it, moves on and starts thinking practically about what I need to do," Arnie explained.

"I tried to stay as positive as I possibly could.

"For some people they can't cope and crumble. But I had to stay strong for the family – I've got three children.

"And I'm here because, a), the medical help and, b), I've a positive attitude and haven't let this get the better of me."

Arnie, who lives in Biggin Hill, joined the Met in May 2007 having always wanted to do the job when he was younger.

He explained: "It's weird because I got to do the job I wanted to, then it's taken away from me.

"After a while, with my illness, I was taken from frontline policing duties.

"It happened eight or nine months after I was diagnosed, but happened for my safety and the safety of my colleagues.

"That decision was hard to take because that's why I joined, to be on the frontline."

The cancer has now spread across his body, including his lungs and other kidney.

But Arnie remains determined to get back to work and wanted to praise the fantastic support he has received from the Met and his Response Team 4.

He has been treated at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital and attends weekly therapy at Harris HospisCare in Orpington.

Referring to Harris HospisCare, Arnie added: "Everybody who goes there is in the same position in one way or another. You all bounce off each other.

"The staff there are fantastic, from the volunteers to the nurses – they are all absolutely first class.

"I do have my bad days, but I try to stay positive."