A RETIRED farmer run over and killed by his wife as he directed her into a supermarket parking space had been urged to buy a smaller car just hours earlier.

Alec Neil, 80, died of multiple injuries in the car park at Budgen's, Thame, on Saturday.

He had been waving his wife Bertha, 85, who was driving their Renault 25, into a space.

Mrs Neil was taught to drive more than 50 years ago by her husband. But she rarely got behind the wheel until he was forced to stop driving because of deteriorating eyesight around six months ago.

Friend Joyce Plested, 72, said: "My husband asked Alec last Friday, 'Why don't you get a smaller car?' It would have been easier for Bertha.

"When Alec's eyesight began to fail she got back behind the wheel. But 85 is a big age to be driving a car like that. I don't think Bertha will ever get over this."

The couple, from Ickford, were married for 58 years but had no children.

Another friend, Ron Roberts, 57, said: "Bertha is very much in shock."

Mr Neil, a retired dairy farmer, was a parish councillor at Ickford and president of the local soccer club.

Pc Andrew Rowley said: "I would appear the car suddeny shot forward.

"Mr Neil must have died instantly."

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