Ray Eden's widow "disgusted" at pre-Christmas theft of mementos from his graveside

The widow of former 100-mile national time trial champion and Great Britain cyclist Ray Eden has said she is “disgusted” at the people who took items left at her husband’s grave before Christmas.

Eden died on March 18 this year three days after sustaining head injuries after trying to intervene in a row between a couple who lived close to his Doncaster home,

His wife, Gail Eden, aged 41, told The Star that her mother Carol had discovered that the items, including a miniature Christmas tree and a picture of Ray on his bike, had been taken when she visited his grave at Rose Hill Cemetery.

The tree and picture had been left at the graveside by Mrs Eden and the couple’s 13-year-old son Finn, a promising rower, ahead of the first Christmas they would face without Ray, who had been working for Planet-X in recent years.

Mrs Eden told the newspaper: “I’m absolutely disgusted. The people who have done this are absolute scum. It would have been heartbreaking whenever it happened, but even more so at this time of the year.

“I want to highlight what they’ve done. Perhaps it might make these people think before they take things from graves.”

“My mum went up to take some flowers and saw things scattered all over,” she continued.

“She was very upset and in tears when she called me.

“It’s a disgrace what these people have done.

“I have spoken to Rose Hill and the staff are as upset as I am that it has happened,” she added.

The Edens’ neighbour Luke Jolly was charged with manslaughter in connection with Ray's death and jailed in August for four years and nine months after pleading guilty.