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Mourners will say farewell to Margaret Briers
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| PICTURED: Margaret Briers (top) and an e-fit of her attacker. |
THE funeral will take place on Monday of a great-grandmother who died in hospital a week after she was attacked in her home by a thug posing as a bogus police officer.
Margaret Briers, aged 82, was assaulted in her bungalow at Caldbeck Grove, Carr Mill, and was left lying in agony for 12 hours while suffering from a broken hip.
One week later Margaret passed away in Whiston Hospital, with a post-mortem revealing she died from a chest infection. Police believe her death was directly attributable to the attack on the night of Sunday, March 30 and are now in the fifth week of a manslaughter investigation.
Her devastated family - of five daughters, 15 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren - have repeatedly appealed for information to track down the attacker, but they have also endured a wait for Margaret's body to be released for burial.
This week he family announced the funeral service will take place from noon at St Patricks Church, Clinkham Wood on Monday, May 12, followed by burial at St Helens Cemetery.
Margaret, also known as Peggy, was a widow since her husband Ernie died aged 66, and remained an active lady, who was well known at Darby and Joan social club in Moss Bank and St Patricks Church social club, i.
Police, meanwhile, are continuing the hunt for the bogus officer. At about 9pm on the night of the attack, he knocked on her front door screaming that there was an intruder in her back yard. Margaret let him in but moments later she was shoved to the floor.
She suffered a broken hip and was left lying in agony for 12 hours after the callous attacker ripped an emergency alarm from around her neck and disconnected the phone line. He then fled with just £16.
She was found next day by Pauline Windsor, 60, one of her five daughters. The injured pensioner was able to give police a description of the attacker and an account of the crime from her hospital bed.
But her condition deteriorated on her third day in Whiston and anguished relatives watched as her life ebbed away.
Last month Margaret's great grandson Ben Welding, from Laffak, urged townsfolk not to shield the culprit.
Writing on the Star's website this week the primary school pupil posted: "To describe how my family feels is impossible. That unthoughtful and careless person has took my nan's life away and my family can't cope because for all we know my nan could have had another 10 years on her life.
"And how would he have liked it if it was his mum or nan. So please if you know this sick person, please tell the numbers in the story. I think I would have been able to cope with her being ill or old aged. But being murdered is so shocking.
"Please if you know or recognise the man in the picture (e-fit right) please contact the police"
Anyone with information or who thinks they recognise the man pictured in the e-fit or knows the whereabouts of a missing cash tin is asked to contact St Helens CID via 0151 709 6010 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
5:00pm Thursday 8th May 2008
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