‘My Bill died after shock of car theft’ (From Dorset Echo)

‘My Bill died after shock of car theft’

10:54am Wednesday 10th January 2007 in Cars By Lynn Morris

AN ELDERLY man died following the shock of discovering his car had been stolen, his partner says.

His partner Eileen Birch said that the shock of his car being taken and the strain of walking around car showrooms was too much for Bill Taylor.

Mr Taylor's Ford Escort was stolen from outside Mrs Birch's house in Northbourne and was found by the police burnt out.

Grieving Mrs Birch, of Dudley Road, said: "It is absolutely disgusting how anyone could take the car. I don't know why they took his car."

She said Mr Taylor, who was 86 and from Ferndown, had never suffered from heart problems before.

"Before this happened he was astoundingly healthy for his age but he did have problems with his legs which made walking difficult," she added.

Less than four days after he discovered his car had been stolen, he had a major heart attack and died.

Mr Taylor, who had been in the Army and had also worked as a driver for the post office had just spent £400 on the car.

Retired Mrs Birch, 56, who met Mr Taylor in church two-and-a-half years ago, said he was not one to show his emotions but she knew that he was very upset about the car.

The day he died Mr Taylor had been looking for a new car while Mrs Birch waited at home.

She said: "I was expecting a call from someone we had rung about a car when I got a call from Poole Hospital saying that Mr Taylor was very poorly.

"When we met, my husband had just died of cancer and so had Bill's wife, so we provided shoulders for each other to cry on.

"There was a big age difference but it did not matter."

Now Mrs Birch has been prescribed tranquillisers to help her cope.

She said she was trying to track down Mr Taylor's daughters whom she hopes might be able to give her a photo of him.

Police investigations into the car theft are continuing.