A man died in his wife’s arms after being struck by traffic lights felled in a car crash.
Rose Varone, a former nurse, was walking nearby when the accident took place in Battersea, and raced to help — only to discover the victim was her husband Luigi, 69.
He had been waiting on a traffic island 50 yards from their home when two vehicles collided, sending one hurtling into the set of lights beside him.
Mrs Varone, 48, said: “I thought, ‘Who is that poor man?’ I went over to find it was my husband… I checked his pupils but I could tell his brain had gone…there was so much blood. He died in my hands. I was glad I could hold him and was there for him… I told him how much I love him.”
Passers-by and paramedics tried to save Mr Varone, but he was pronounced dead at the junction of York Road and Falcon Road, just before 9pm on Saturday.
Since retiring as a British Gas engineer, Mr Varone had been a full-time carer for his 94-year-old mother.
Mrs Varone, whom he married in 2016, was due to introduce him to her family in her native Brazil this year. She added: “I want to thank everyone who helped me [at the scene].”
One driver, a 32-year-old man, fled the scene on foot but was later arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop.
He has been bailed pending further inquiries. The second driver, 29, was not arrested and he is helping police.
Anyone with information or footage is asked to call police on 020 8543 5157
