A WIDOWER, who recently moved to Romsey, has paid tribute to his wife after she died when falling from her bike into the path of an oncoming car.

CCTV footage shows Auriol Grey, 49, shout at retired midwife Celia Ward to “get off the pavement” in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, causing her to fall into the road.

Grandmother Mrs Ward, 77, of Wyton, Cambridgeshire, died after she was struck by a car on October 20, 2020.

Grey, who has cerebral palsy, denied manslaughter but was found guilty following a retrial at Peterborough Crown Court.

Mrs Ward’s widower, retired RAF pilot David Ward, said in a statement read to the court by prosecutor Simon Spence KC that the “clip of Celia’s last moments will haunt me forever”.

“Rarely a day goes by without thinking of her and our happy life together but I can so easily burst into tears, as I have on so many occasions,” he said.

He said they met in 1965 and in their retirement enjoyed playing golf and seeing the world on cruise holidays.

“I miss her terribly and after a year-and-a-half on my own felt the need to sell our house of 34 years and relocated to a retirement village near Romsey,” he said.

He said that he did this to be closer to family, including their daughter Gillian Hayter.

Ms Hayter told, in a victim impact statement read to the court, of her mother’s “senseless and needless death lying in the road without those who loved her”.

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Miranda Moore KC, mitigating for Grey, said: “What happened took but a moment that has impacted on many.”

She said that Grey’s “present opinion is where the pavements are narrow the cyclists… should cycle on the road”.

“There was no intention to cause harm or an obvious risk of harm,” she said.

She said witnesses had said that Grey “seemed childlike”, and that she lived in adapted special accommodation.

Ms Hayter added in a statement released through police: “Celia Ward was my mum, mother-in-law to my husband and much-loved grandmother to my son, but most importantly, the love of my father’s life.

“Her untimely death has turned our world on its head and there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t wish I could pick up the phone to ask her advice, celebrate the special events in our lives or just tell her how much I love her.

“It’s easy to say how wonderful my mum was… she was passionate about her family and always there to help and support us.

“She was of a generation that made and mended, kept a spotless house and always put others first.

“Her death has marred what should have been some of the most enjoyable times for us as a family.

“We can never forget the past two-and-a-half years, but it’s now time to start remembering the wonderful memories and times we had with mum, and hopefully find some peace.”