OAP DIES AFTER TV AERIAL ROOF PLUNGE HORROR
Pensioner Andy killed in freak fall
A pensioner has plunged to his death while trying to fix his TV aerial.
Andy Welsh, 77, was on the roof of his home when he slipped.
Shocked neighbours have told how a pensioner plunged just eight feet to his death while trying to fix the TV aerial.
Andy Welsh, 77, was on the roof of his home when he slipped on Thursday morning.
Police and medics raced to his house in Girvan’s Wilson Street – but the pensioner was already dead.
Andy is said to have dedicated his life to his 78- year- old wife Jean, who he leaves behind.
One neighbour said: “It is terribly sad. Andy was a fantastic man and a full- time carer to Jean.
“We moved here 23 years ago and she has been in poor health as long as we’ve been here.
“He was a very private guy but that is what he devoted his life to, he was dedicated to looking after his wife.
“She uses a wheelchair and he used to take her out and about. He bought a car that had disabled access and he would take her take her to the shops and that.
“Jean is back in hospital now – and she is devastated.”
Police sealed off Wilson Street on Thursday morning following the incident.
Neighbours told how the pensioner climbed on to the roof to fix the aerial before slipping.
They said: “It is a terrible tragedy. His aerial had been hanging off for a while and he was determined to fix it in case it blew on to the road.
“Everyone told him just to leave it, but he went up there and slipped. It’s horrific.
“He was a great guy. After I retired, he and I would get some good crack over the garden talking about the football.
“We would regularly speak about football and Ayr United. He was a fantastic man and an amazing neighbour. I feel so sorry for Jean, he loved her so much.”
Another teared up as they said: “I can’t believe he’s gone.
“You could not have asked for a better neighbour. You really could not ask for a nicer couple and that is God’s honest truth.”
Andy died at around 9am on Thursday.
Townspeople were left distraught after the incident.
One said: “How utterly sad thoughts with the family.”
And another added: “I saw the aftermath, he seems to have just fallen.
“The police still have the road taped off. It is so sad at any time, but especially at this time though.”
Wilson Street is mainly singlestorey terraced cottages originally built for fishermen.
A Police Scotland spokesman: “Around 9am officers were called to a report of a man fallen from the roof of a house in Wilson Street, Girvan.
“Police and ambulance attended. However the 77- year- old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious and a full report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.”