MAURICE NEWMAN
Greyhound racing lost one of its greatest ambassadors with the death of Maurice Newman on Sunday evening aged 87.
One of the industry’s most colourful characters, Maurice will be remembered as both a ‘proper greyhound man’ and extraordinary charity fundraiser.
Maurice had been sufffering from cancer for some time and although he had a tumour removed, he recent began chemotherapy for a growth in his other lung.
His closest friend Stan Kennett paid him a visit on Thursday and was shocked to find Maurice in great distress.
Stan said: “He had been struggling to breath and called for an ambulance, but they refused to come because they said his condition wasn’t serious enough. His wife Vera was very upset to see him like that and so was I to be honest.
“He finally got taken into hospital and died last night. By that stage he was in such a poor way that his passing came as a relief. No one should have to go through that.”
Ironically, Maurice had been due to make a presentation to Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital on Wednesday en lieu of his recent ‘Golf Day’ when £50,000 had been raised.
Stan said: “I stood in for him and when I was asked how Maurice was getting on, I had to admit that it didn’t look at all good. But at least he lived to see it.
“I might have been expecting it, but it is still a huge shock. We had been friends for over 50 years.”
