Murder hunt: Mum's plea for help to find son's killer
A MOTHER has made a heartfelt appeal for help in tracking down the killer of her son.
A MOTHER has made a heartfelt appeal for help in tracking down the killer of her son.
Maureen Wood broke down at a press conference earlier today as she spoke about her son Alan who was found murdered at his home in Main Road, Lound, on Saturday.
Lincolnshire Police have launched a manhunt after 50-year-old Mr Wood was brutally killed in a sustained attack.
Officers are appealing for information from witnesses who may have seen a suspect use Mr Wood's bank cards at cash points in Bourne and Stamford.
They would also like to hear from friends and colleagues of Mr Wood's in a bid to build up a picture of him.
Mr Wood's family were told of his death on Saturday evening.
During the press conference at the Carre Arms in Sleaford, Mrs Wood, 75, put out an appeal to the public for help.
She said: "My son was a quiet, loving, gentle man who would not hurt anyone - please help us to catch who ever did this.
"It they have done it once and get away with it, they can do it again."
She later added: "What has happened is unbelievable. It doesn't happen to people like this."
Mrs Wood said she last spoke to her son on the phone on the Sunday prior to this death, shortly before he was due to start a shift at Sainsbury's store in Bourne.
She said he seemed fine and relaxed during the conversation when he wished her well for a trip she was due to take on Wednesday and that he had worked a lot of extra hours in his gardening business as rain had been forecast.
In paying tribute to her son Mrs Wood said: "He was brilliant, he was there if you needed him to do anything.
"I recently had an operation on my foot and he was the one who took me to hospital, and took me back and waited for hours."
His youngest sister Sylvia Allett, who runs a hotel in the south of France, said: "It would make a big difference to find whoever has done this and not cause anyone else any suffering.
"What could he (Alan) have possibly done that could cause such violence from somebody else?"
Mrs Allett has also thanked friends of Mr Wood for their cards and kind tributes to the man she described as a "kind and considerate gentleman".
She added: "It is only when they die that you find out how much they were cared about and it means a lot."
His former wife Joanne Wood, a legal executive from Peterborough, said: "I am going to remember him listening to music and sitting in the bar in the Willoughby (Arms in Little Bytham) playing with his small change on the bar."
During the press conference Det Supt Stuart Morrison, who is leading the investigation, said the key lines of inquiry were the use of Mr Wood's cards at cash machines in Stamford and Bourne.
On Thursday October 22 between 9.35pm and 9.50pm attempts were made to withdraw cash from the cash machines at the Nat-West bank in North Street, Bourne and the nearby machine at the Post Office in North Street, Bourne. Cash was obtained.
At about 3.15pm on Friday October 23 cash was withdrawn from the cash point at the Nat-West bank in High Street, Stamford.
Two further unsuccessful attempts were made to withdraw cash from the same Nat-West bank in Stamford High Street at 9.10am and again at 9.20pm on Saturday October 24.
The last two known attempts to withdraw cash took place at around 3pm on Sunday, again from the Stamford High Street branch of the Nat-West bank.
He was appealing for witnesses to these attempts and for those who knew what Mr Wood was doing between Wednesday tea time and Saturday to come forward.
Det Supt Morrison said: "It is so important if you know anybody that has been acting differently, out of character, strangely or has recently left the area if so we really need to speak to you."
Mr Wood had attended the Bluecoat Primary School and Fane Schools in Stamford before joining his father Jim at print business Colourtone Studio, which was also based in the town.
He had also worked at Warners in Bourne. Mr Wood also went to work at Rassel's Nursery in Little Bytham and later had a spell at Barnsdale Gardens. He also worked with the prisoners in the gardens at HMP Stocken Hall.
Eventually Mr Wood set up his own garden maintenance business, Gardens TLC, which he continued until he died. His round spanned from Rutland to the Bourne area.
He was a fan of rock bands ACDC and Deep Purple and enjoyed attending live music gigs.
He leaves behind sister Janice, who also lives in Stamford. He was a loving uncle to Janice's children Rebecca, 20, and Fiona, 17, and Sylvia's children, 18-year-old Joe and Paul, 16. He thoroughly enjoyed taking Rebecca to rock concerts, which she says he secretly enjoyed as much as she did.
Murder update: Victim's debit cards used at cash machines
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Monday 06 February 2012
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