A LOVING son who flew thousands of miles to see his mother arrived just hours after she died following an accident in Exeter city centre last week.
William Holland, who lives in the Bahamas, was making his annual visit to visit his mother, Audrey Holland.
But he never got the chance to see her as the day before he touched down in the UK – Mrs Holland, 87, died in the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital after being in collision with a bicycle in Sidwell Street.
She had been shopping in Exeter with her sister, Phyllis Taylor, 91, of Tedburn St Mary, who was unhurt but left shocked by the tragedy.
The cyclist, a local man, suffered minor injuries.
Mrs Holland's son said: "It was a terrible shock. I live in the Bahamas and had flown over for my annual visit to see my mother but found out she had passed away the day before.
"She was an elderly lady but we were looking forward to her having many more years."
Mrs Holland's daughter Ruth Harvey, of Lapford, said: "As I understand it my mother and aunt were going to catch the bus home but had about half an hour to spare.
"They were crossing Sidwell Street to go to the charity shop. The cyclist had apparently stopped at the traffic lights and was heading towards the top end of Sidwell Street.
"Someone shouted out but perhaps my mother didn't hear."
Mrs Holland was said to be very alert with all her faculties but did have a hearing disability in one ear and impaired sight in one eye following an operation.
Said her daughter: "She was a lovely lady, into everything, and she and her sister were having a lovely day in Exeter and that it should have ended like that is just such a terrible shock.
"She was 87 but we were looking forward to many more years with her. Her sister is 91 and my grandmother was 101."
Mrs Holland (nee Rawle), whose husband Bill, a former Royal Navy veteran, died of cancer in 2008, was brought up in Myrtle Road, St Thomas, Exeter, and attended the old Bishop Blackall School.
She survived being machine-gunned by low flying German planes during the Exeter Blitz.
The couple, who had celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, moved around the country with Bill's Royal Navy service, before settling in Lapford, near Crediton.
She was a staunch member of the Lapford Congregational Church and belonged to a number of church-associated groups. She had four grandchildren.
Mrs Holland was described as a "very generous lady" by Sidwell Street charity shop manager Jenny Pebworth.
Mrs Pebworth, area relief manager for Cancer Research UK, was on duty when Mrs Holland contacted the charity's Sidwell Street shop regarding a bicycle she had won in a competition after her husband's death.
Mrs Pebworth said: "I remember her saying she wanted to do something to help the charity and wanted to give us the bike for sale.
"My husband Alan and I went to her home in Crediton and there was the bike, still in its box. Alan put the bike together and we raffled it and raised over £220 for Cancer Research. It was wonderful and we were so grateful to Mrs Holland. She was a lovely lady. She just wanted to help.
"She came along when we handed the bike over to the raffle winner _ and she was so pleased it went to a cyclist whose said her previous bike had gone to "cycle heaven."
Police, who closed Sidwell Street for some time after the accident on Friday afternoon, have asked those who might be able to help to contact theme on 101 quoting reference 631 of 11th July 2014, with any information.
Mrs Holland's funeral is being held on Monday, July 28 with interment at 11am at Exwick Cemetery followed by a service of thanksgiving at Lapford Congregational Church at 12.30pm.
