Tributes paid to tragic cyclist George Searle, 74, after Wolverhampton hit-and-run
The wife and son of a keen cyclist killed in a hit-and-run smash today spoke of their anger at the motorist who fled the scene, leaving him lying dead in the road.
Retired printer George Searle, aged 74, of Gornal, Dudley, who died at the scene of the collision in Stafford Road, Wolverhampton, was looking forward to the birth of his first grandchild in November.
His wife of 43 years, Cynthia, aged 68, said today: "We are very angry that someone could take the life of a much- loved husband and father and just leave him, not knowing if he was dead or alive.
"We believe he died instantly and wouldn't have known anything about it."
The couple's son, David, aged 33, and daughter-in-law, Alison, 32, of Coseley, are expecting their first child and are pleased they had been able to tell Mr Searle that his first grandchild will be a girl.
Darlaston-born Mr Searle, who later lived with his wife in Hill Top, West Bromwich, had cycled all his life and, on Thursday, he set off on one of his regular rides at about 9.15am. Mrs Searle rang David when her husband had not returned home by 2.30pm.
David checked the Express & Star website and saw that a cyclist had been injured on one of his father's favourite routes at about 12.30pm. "I felt sick because it must be my dad and my wife Alison began telephoning local hospitals," said David.
"He was the best dad you could ever wish for – and an old-fashioned gentleman." Police arrived at Mr Searle's home at 4pm to break the tragic news to his wife that he had died.
The couple's 38-year-old daughter Jane, of Handsworth Wood, flew back from her holiday in Rhodes after being told the news.
Mrs Searle said she wanted to thank passers-by who tried to help her husband after the crash. Mr Searle, a former type-setter and compositor, had recently discussed giving up cycling because of heavy traffic on the roads and several near misses.
"I wish I'd made him do that," said Mrs Searle. Her husband used to be a member of the Hill Top Cycling Club and in the past had raced against Wolverhampton legend Hugh Porter.
Following the tragedy police recovered a black Seat Leon car from a garage in Crown Street, Wolverhampton. Two men from Wolverhampton, one aged 30 and the other aged 33, have been arrested and bailed.
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