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Agonising vigil for injured biker dad
From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Thursday 27th Aug 1998.
A MOTORCYCLIST who was seriously injured in a road accident has been moved out of intensive care - but his family say his life is still in danger.
Stanley Wheatcroft was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary with multiple injuries after a smash on the A59 near Sawley on Sunday, August 2. Mr Wheatcroft, 62, of Grimshaw Street, Great Harwood, has been moved out of intensive care on to a ward, and his condition remains critical but stable.
His second wife Linda, 45, died from her injuries after she was thrown from the Honda Blackbird machine when it was in collision with a Transit van.
Mr Wheatcroft's son Ryan, who also lives in Grimshaw Street, and daughter Jill Millray have kept a bedside vigil for much of the last three weeks.
Mrs Millray, of Within Grove, Huncoat, said: "I'm at the hospital every night with Ryan. We're trying our best to keep going.
"We've got to rally round and talk to my dad to help him pull through.
"We've already lost Linda through this and all we can do is hope dad is all right, but he's still critical.
"Linda was my step-mum for 10 years. She was a lovely, friendly person.
"They did everything together and went away every weekend. "It's hard work because we can't grieve over Linda yet. We've got to be positive for dad."
Mr Wheatcroft, a tool maker at Jable Autosol in Altham, had taken holidays on the motorbike with his wife.
"Dad's been riding motorbikes since he was 17 and has always been a safe driver," said Mrs Millray.
"Linda loved it and although she wanted to learn to ride. She was happy being a pillion passenger,"
Mrs Wheatcroft, a housewife who also did voluntary work for Accrington Blind Society, leaves two sons, Craig and Scott Bonsall, who live in Ingleton, Yorkshire.
The two families are yet to make funeral arrangements for Mrs Wheatcroft because of Mr Wheatcroft's condition.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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