A murder probe has been launched after a 79-year-old widow died following a desperate struggle with muggers who stole a handbag containing her late husband's ashes.
Nellie Geraghty, who had carried the ashes of her husband Frank since his death 17 years ago, was found unconscious in an alley after trying to cling onto her handbag.
The strap of her bag was still in her hand.
She was left in a critical condition but died at around midnight in Royal Oldham hospital.
Police have arrested two local teenage boys, aged 14 and 17, and have now launched a murder inquiry.
Neither the black handbag nor a blue cotton drawstring bag containing a small box of Frank’s ashes – hand-stitched by Nellie herself – has been found. Detectives are urging the public to look out for them both.
Mrs Geraghty was born in Shaw in June 1932 and met her husband Frank when they worked together in the cotton mills in the 1950s.
The couple raised four children with Mr Geraghty moving to work for the Oldham co-operative bus company and his wife working as a cleaner at schools in the Oldham area.
In a statement her family said: "Nellie is much loved and will always be remembered by all her friends and family. We have lost the best mum in the world, the best sister, grandmother, auntie and friend a person could ever have.
“The world would be a better place if there were more people like you. Heaven will be blessed with your presence. Our sad loss is heavens gain.
“We will miss you terribly, until we meet again, my mum, my sister my friend rest in peace.
Superintendent Catherine Hankinson, from Oldham police, said: “I’d appeal for people that might be gardening or walking their dog, to keep an eye out for a black handbag missing a strap.
"We haven’t recovered the ashes, which are really significant in terms of emotional value for the family.”
The attack happened on an alleyway leading from Elizabeth Grove to Kershaw Street in Shaw, Oldham, between 11.55am and 11.50am on Thursday, Nellie had been making her way down the alley to have a meal at Laurel Bank day centre.
She was found collapsed and alone by two passers by, still clasping the strap to her bag, which was thought to have contained around £200 in
cash.
Police are investigating a sighting of two white youths in their late teens running out of Elizabeth Grove, across Chamber Road and onto The Avenue at around the time of the attack.
Neighbours described the alley as ‘dangerous’ and underlit.
Joyce Guest, 83, said: “It worries me that this has happened on my doorstep. It’s put me off going down there.”
She described Nellie as a fun and extremely independent woman who regularly visited the day care centre, as well as travelling to the south of England to see family.
Jean Lord, 82, regularly visited the centre with Nellie.She said: “She couldn’t sit still – she was constantly on the go.
“She was a really active person. I cannot understand how they could do it.”
Robert Collins, 80, said: “I am very shocked and disturbed and so sorry she has died.
“To get mugged in your own area is absolutely ridiculous. She would always go down that cut-through to the day care centre for a meal on Thursdays.”
A post mortem has not yet been carried out to establish the cause of Nellie’s injuries or her death.Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 8952 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.