Son 'overwhelmed' by fundraising for his Murrow father's funeral

A son has been "overwhelmed" by the response to his appeal for help to fund a funeral after his father was suddenly found dead.

Tim Stevens has launched an appeal to raise £3,000 to pay for the funeral of his father, Terry, who was found at his home in Murrow on September 5 by a concerned neighbour.

Mr Stevens, who lives in Leicester, is grateful that the people have rallied around to donate more than £1,000 within four days of launching the appeal.

He is hoping to hold a funeral service for his father on Friday, September 27.

Mr Stevens said: "I have been overwhelmed and shocked by the generosity of people that I barely know and some are complete strangers.

"That is the power of social media.

"We have gone for a simple funeral but I really could not afford it."

His father's body was discovered in his home in Station Avenue, by concerned neighbours after he had not been seen for a few days.

It is believed that Terry may have been dead for two weeks.

The police were called and the case has been referred to the Cambrideshire Coroner.

Mr Stevens said: "The neighbours had said they had not seen Terry for a few days.

"He used to go out every day to get cigarettes.

"They decided to knock on the door to make sure he was ok and that is when they found him.

"I haven't spoken to him for a little while. I should have called him more often.

"I did give him a mobile phone years ago but he never used it. He couldn't get on with technology."

Terry, who had been the youngest of 10 children, was born in London and grew up in Crowland after his family moved up to Lincolnshire.

He had spent time in Whittlesey and moved to Murrow in the 1970s.

Terry mainly worked as a lorry driver but was also a coal man and had been employed in the brick yards around Peterborough.

He was a keen bowls player and a regular at the village pub.

Terry was divorced but was a father of three sons.

Mr Stevens said: " I have 2 half brothers who are in the same circumstances as me, and cannot offer enough monetary value to help give him the end, he deserves.

"My dad was a proud man, much like myself and he’d never ever dare to ask for help for anything and this is why we’ve ended up where we are."

Mr Stevens has launched a fundraising page on September 13.

If you would like to support Mr Stevens fundraising appeal please go to:www.gofundme.com/f/3wxzw-funeral-for-terry