A DEVOTED couple who could not bear to be apart died within hours of each other in the same hospital ward.

Frank Usher, 88, and his wife Edna, 83, both died on Saturday in York District Hospital just two days after sharing their last meal together in ward 24.

Their son Keith said today that his father's deteriorating health had had a devastating effect on his mother, and he believed she had died of a broken heart.

Drax Power Station worker Keith, of Staniland Drive, Selby, said: "They had been married for 63 years and had never been apart.

"My father had been suffering from pneumonia and when he came out of hospital, mum expected him to walk in and put the kettle on just like he always did. When he couldn't, it came as a big shock.

"When she saw just how bad he was, I think she lost the will to live."

He said the double tragedy came as a massive shock to the family - but if his parents had been able to arrange their deaths, they would have chosen to go together.

Keith said his parents both ended up in hospital last week after Mrs Usher fell outside her home in Fairfax Avenue, Selby.

He said: "Once mum was taken into hospital there was no-one to look after my father so he was given a bed in the same ward.

"The nurses were wonderful and on several occasions whizzed my mother down to my father's bed so they could enjoy a meal together."

Mr Usher died at about 3am on Saturday - and just seven hours later the hospital rang Keith to say his mother had also passed away.

Mr Usher, who was a cashier with Selby civil engineering firm Squire W Swift for over 50 years, was a founder member of Selby District Welfare, which raised thousands of pounds for local good causes.

Launched at the Station Inn, welfare officials ran a massive tote double for many years, money from which paid for the refurbishment of Selby War Memorial's casualty unit.

The couple leave another son, Alan, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The double funeral will be held at Selby Abbey tomorrow at 11am.

*Two years ago, another Selby couple, Leslie Whisker, 68, and his wife Catherine, 66, both died within minutes of each other in York District Hospital after both suffered heart attacks.