Kindness of strangers...villagers raise £3,000 for beaten Aldo, 85
VILLAGERS have rallied round to raise thousands of pounds for an 85-year-old burglary victim battered with his walking stick.
Widower Aldo Capriolo suffered face and head injuries when a raider burst into his home while he slept.
The thug demanded cash and the frail pensioner handed over £40.
With blood streaming from his head after the burglar used the walking stick as a weapon, he managed to crawl to the phone and call police before he lost consciousness.
Neighbours of Mr Capriolo, in Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, were outraged by the attack on a man they describe as “a true gentleman”.
Mr Capriolo, whose wife died this year, wept at the thought of returning to the house where he was attacked. But his spirits were revived when he was told friends and neighbours launched a fundraising drive to ensure he has a good Christmas.
Neighbour Nigel Primrose vowed to help Mr Capriolo and launched a Justgiving page on the internet. So far it has raised around £3,000. Businessman Mr Primrose said: “He is a true gentleman and the village loves him. Children have even come in to give a pound of their pocket money.
“It’s a nice thing to try to help him restore his faith in mankind.”
Jamie Roach, who runs a glazing firm, fitted a new front door, worth £1,200, for free. The broken door had originally been secured by a contractor used by the police. Mr Capriolo had faced a bill for £204 while in hospital, although that bill has also been covered by neighbours.
Relative Caron Bradley told how she wept when she saw him in hospital. “He was covered in blood. I was horrified that anybody could want to hurt such an elderly person.
“He’s got a wound on his head that’s been stapled and a nasty gash on his elbow where he tried to block his face.
“The man put his hand on Aldo’s mouth to stop him screaming.”