A GRIEVING daughter today told how her dad died of a "broken heart" only hours before her sick mother passed away.

Devoted couple Les and Marj Wray died within hours of each other at York District Hospital. Family and friends today said they would be inseparable in death as they had been in life.

The couple were married for 56 years and had farmed at Upper Helmsley, but had lived of late at Dunnington. The funeral will take place at Gate Helmsley Church tomorrow at 1pm.

Their daughter Ann Nuttall, 47, today told that she believed her father had died of a "broken heart".

She said her mum had been very ill following a heart attack last summer and, as she grew weaker, her dad seemed to give up.

Two weeks ago he was admitted to hospital with a chest infection. Then, unexpectedly, he died on ward 25 on Tuesday. His wife, in ward 15, died the following day.

Mrs Nuttall, of Keyingham, near Hull, said: "They were very close. Inseparable. He was very protective of her. He visited her every day in hospital. It just got too much for him. It broke his heart to see her suffer.

"He was broken-hearted. He just didn't want to live without her. He knew she didn't have very long to go. He willed himself to go."

Mrs Nuttall said she suspected her mum was too ill to take in the news. But as she held her mum's hand and told her the news, she said: "Let yourself go and be with him."

Mrs Nuttall said the family took comfort from the fact they had died together. And she thanked her friends and family for all their help during the couple's illnesses and for their support since the tragic deaths.

Mrs Wray's sister Connie Barton, of Dunnington, said: "I suppose it was a godsend. It was nice for them to go together. They couldn't live without each other."

Long-time friend Anne Archer, of Buttercrambe, who will play the organ at tomorrow's funeral, said: "A lot of people will be quite sad.

"It will be more like a thanksgiving to know that they have died together."

Mrs Archer took over from Mrs Wray 18 years ago as the organist at St Peter's Church at Upper Helmsley, where Mr Wray had been churchwarden.

She said she would be playing one of their favourite hymns, The Old Rugged Cross, at the service.

And she spoke of people's shock and sadness at the deaths. "They were devoted to each other. They were family people, caring, community people. People are so shocked."

Parish vicar, the Rev Jeremy Valentine, who will be conducting the service, said he expected the 150-seat church to be packed with friends and family.

He said: "They were very much liked. People are very sad. I think that Marj's death was expected, Les's wasn't."

The couple also had one son, David, who lives in Australia, four grandchildren and were great-grandparents.

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