Grandfather dies after pricking finger on rose (From The Northern Echo)

Grandfather dies after pricking finger on rose

1:29pm Thursday 18th March 2010 in

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A GRANDFATHER died from blood poisoning after pricking his finger while gardening at home.

George Emmerson, 73, of Whitby, North Yorkshire, contracted septicemia while tending roses two weeks ago.

The taxi driver did not realise he had a rose thorn in his finger and only went to hospital a week later when the wound area began to swell and he felt ill.

The father-of-three was transferred from Whitby Hospital to Scarborough Hospital, but his condition deteriorated rapidly and he was placed in intensive care.

Medics amputated his finger and then an arm to try to save him, but he died from a heart attack.

Mr Emmerson, a taxi driver for ten years and former farm labourer, had raised thousands of pounds for charity.

His devastated widow Brenda, 66, who he married in 1959, paid tribute to saying: "He talked to everybody, everybody knew him - he had a lot of friends.

"It was obviously quite an aggressive infection. I think it's quite unusual for it to have spread so quickly."

The couple have three children Andrew Emmerson, 39, Tracey Towers, 38, and twin sister Claire Morais.

Mrs Morais said: "We were very lucky, we couldn't have asked for a better dad, and mum for a better husband.

"He was very caring and would do anything to help his family and friends. He would give 110 per cent. He thought of everyone before himself and he was brilliant."

Mr Emmerson's funeral was held on Wednesday.