Friends' tributes to man found in tower

Tributes were today paid to a Shropshire businessman whose body was discovered in a town hall by his friend.

John Morgan, owner of Clocks 'n' Pots in Bishop's Castle, was discovered in the clock tower of the town hall on Friday morning.

His friend, Ron Davies, a retired businessman in the town, was left seriously injured in a fall from the clock tower after discovering Mr Morgan's body.

The 63-year-old went to get help from someone in the market and fell through the trapdoor as he moved to let the man who had come to help by.

Today, Mr Davies's wife Jill paid tribute to Mr Morgan, who she said was a popular businessman in the town.

Mr Morgan, 62, was on the rota to wind the town clock every week, along with Mr Davies and another man.

He was discovered when Mr Davies went to wind the clock up at 11am on Friday.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Davies, who remains in the intensive care unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Mrs Davies said: "We'd known John ever since they came to the town which is a long time.

"John and Ronald used to help each other out and John was always around. He was a lovely man – it's hard to really believe he's gone."

She added: "We are so upset for his family – that's all Ron can think about.

"Everyone is just devastated in the town – devastated for his family. Everybody liked John and he was a feature in the town.

"He was such a devoted father and husband – it's just so hard to understand."

Despite Mr Davies retiring from his ironmongers business, the two friends still saw each other most days and had only spoken a couple of days before.

She said Mr Morgan was always "very cheerful" with his customers, colleagues and friends in the town.

Mrs Davies said she had spoken to Mr Morgan's widow to reassure her that Mr Davies's injuries were not the fault of her husband.

Mrs Davies said Mr Morgan had used the stairs to get up to the clock tower and not the trap door which her husband fell through.

Mr Davies suffered broken ribs, broken vertebrae, shoulder blade and damage to his lung.

By Kirsty Smallman