A POET whose work has been read by millions of people all over the world says he is delighted to help people with the loss of their loved ones -including hip-hop superstar Snoop Dogg.

John Connor, 52, began writing poetry in his teenage years to cope with his father John's battle with dementia and his mother Carol's death from lung condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

After he began to share his work online on Facebook, the poems were shared by pages set up to help people with grief who have millions of people following them.

Mr Connor, who lives in New Town, Colchester, had two poetry collections published when tragedy struck yet again when wife Samantha died of breast cancer two years ago and hopes his experiences can help others cope with their loss.

He said: "My dad was my hero and to watch this big bloke disintegrate in front of my eyes was horrible.

"I started to write to try and make myself feel better and when I eventually put them on Facebook they were shared so many times.

"They just go everywhere, in that sense Facebook is unbelievable.

"I tend to write them really quickly and sometimes when they are finished I wonder where did that come from?"

Mr Connor has now had a third collection published featuring his late wife on the front cover, and donates a share of proceeds from the book to St Helena Hospice who helped with her care.

His most famous fan his legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, who shared an extract of Mr Connor's poem I Never Left You to his 14 million followers on Twitter and Instagram.

Mr Connor said: "Somebody told me it had happened and I said Snoop who?

"I had to ask who he was but when it was explained I was really thrown and appreciated it."

Despite his success, Mr Connor still works in the post room for online games company GFM at the Hythe.

He said: "It is strange so many people all over the world know my work but people in my hometown would never recognise me."