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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Parents 'were not electrocuted' | Parents 'were not electrocuted' |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| The daughter of an elderly couple found dead in their back garden lying next to an electric lawnmower says she does not believe they were electrocuted. | The daughter of an elderly couple found dead in their back garden lying next to an electric lawnmower says she does not believe they were electrocuted. |
| Albert and Beatrice Banks, both 87, were discovered by their son Stephen at their Cardiff home on Tuesday morning. | Albert and Beatrice Banks, both 87, were discovered by their son Stephen at their Cardiff home on Tuesday morning. |
| Their daughter Sally Smedley said she believed her mother had died after seeing her father on the lawn. | Their daughter Sally Smedley said she believed her mother had died after seeing her father on the lawn. |
| She said there was no evidence of cut wires or electrocution and nothing was certain until post-mortem examinations. | She said there was no evidence of cut wires or electrocution and nothing was certain until post-mortem examinations. |
| Police have said the post-mortems will take place on Thursday. | Police have said the post-mortems will take place on Thursday. |
| "Anyone involved in the scene is saying it looks as if his heart gave out because he shouldn't have been doing the lawn at his age, but that was what he was like," she said. | "Anyone involved in the scene is saying it looks as if his heart gave out because he shouldn't have been doing the lawn at his age, but that was what he was like," she said. |
| "Mum was there and she was found dead on top of him with her left hand on his heart." | "Mum was there and she was found dead on top of him with her left hand on his heart." |
| We feel it is nice they went together... that is what is comforting at the moment." Daughter Sally Smedley | We feel it is nice they went together... that is what is comforting at the moment." Daughter Sally Smedley |
| Mrs Smedley, who lives in Scotland but had planned to return to south Wales in two months to be close to her parents, said the family thought Mrs Banks was killed by the shock of seeing her husband. | Mrs Smedley, who lives in Scotland but had planned to return to south Wales in two months to be close to her parents, said the family thought Mrs Banks was killed by the shock of seeing her husband. |
| It is believed that when the couple were discovered in the garden of their bungalow, they had been there since the previous evening. | It is believed that when the couple were discovered in the garden of their bungalow, they had been there since the previous evening. |
| Mrs Smedley said dealing with both deaths at once had been "difficult". | Mrs Smedley said dealing with both deaths at once had been "difficult". |
| But she added: "We feel it is nice they went together and it's kind of sweet. That is what is comforting at the moment." | But she added: "We feel it is nice they went together and it's kind of sweet. That is what is comforting at the moment." |
| Mr and Mrs Banks, known to friends as Monty and Margaret, had enjoyed an active life despite both suffering weak hearts and other disabilities in recent years, said Mrs Smedley. | Mr and Mrs Banks, known to friends as Monty and Margaret, had enjoyed an active life despite both suffering weak hearts and other disabilities in recent years, said Mrs Smedley. |
| The bungalow in Cyncoed, Cardiff, where the couple were found | |
| The couple, who were married for 66 years, had run an electric and vacuum cleaner repair stall in Cardiff market for more than 50 years before their retirement. | The couple, who were married for 66 years, had run an electric and vacuum cleaner repair stall in Cardiff market for more than 50 years before their retirement. |
| She explained that her brother had planned to cut the lawn on Sunday but was stopped by heavy rain. | She explained that her brother had planned to cut the lawn on Sunday but was stopped by heavy rain. |
| 'Very devoted' | 'Very devoted' |
| "Dad was such that when the lawn needed doing, he would do it," said Mrs Smedley. "In that sense, he died happy because that was what he wanted to do." | "Dad was such that when the lawn needed doing, he would do it," said Mrs Smedley. "In that sense, he died happy because that was what he wanted to do." |
| Edwin Colgan, who lived next door to the couple for 16 years, said the pair had been active, even though "their health had been failing in various ways". | Edwin Colgan, who lived next door to the couple for 16 years, said the pair had been active, even though "their health had been failing in various ways". |
| But he said there was a "comforting side" to the news in that "it means one of them isn't left alone". | But he said there was a "comforting side" to the news in that "it means one of them isn't left alone". |
| Mr Colgan's wife Anne called them "a lovely couple" who were "very devoted to each other". | Mr Colgan's wife Anne called them "a lovely couple" who were "very devoted to each other". |
| South Wales Police are investigating the deaths on behalf of the coroner but have said they are not treating the deaths as suspicious. | South Wales Police are investigating the deaths on behalf of the coroner but have said they are not treating the deaths as suspicious. |