Bill Wilson sustained fatal head-injuries when he fell only ten feet from the top of a bay window at a house in Ilkeston during his regular weekly round.

The 58-year-old, of Bolingey Way, was heard calling for help and was rushed to Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre (QMC).

He underwent emergency surgery but surgeons found he had a blood clot and Mr Wilson died on the operating table.

Now his widow, Terry (54), admits a "huge part" of her life is missing.

"It hurts so much," she added. "We were so close and did everything together. I will miss him so much. Everyone is devastated."

She also confided in the Dispatch that she is having to come to terms with the realisation that she will never know the exact circumstances of how her husband of 36 years died.

Mr Wilson was found by Sharon Caulfield (45), a woman from a neighbouring property.

He was drifting in and out of consciousness and she put a towel beside his bleeding head and stayed with him until the emergency services arrived.

"He has fallen before and always saved himself," said Terry (54). "If he had passed out, you could understand his injuries. But I don't think we will ever know the full story."

Mr Wilson was an experienced window-cleaner and had done the job since 1991 after 23 years working at Linby Colliery.

He mainly worked in Ilkeston but also had rounds in pockets of Hucknall and parts of Eastwood and Sutton-in-Ashfield.

Hucknall born and bred, he grew up in Butlers Hill and went to Butlers Hill and Beardall Street Schools.

He leaves four children – Amanda Maden (36), of Loughborough, Vikki Wilson (34), of West Bridgford, Ruth Rees (27), of Heanor, and Ben Wilson (21), who still lives at home.

Mr Wilson also leaves his mother, Audrey, and four grandchildren – Geneva (11), Toby (ten), Annabelle (two) and Frankie (three months).

Three brothers, Garry (who used to play football for Hucknall Town and was the assistant manager of their reserve-team in the early 1990s), Paul and Chris, are also bereaved.

More than 200 friends and family turned out for a memorial service last Saturday at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses on Beauvale Road in Hucknall.

Mr Wilson and his wife were both Jehovah's Witnesses and Mrs Wilson labelled the event a "fitting tribute".

She added: "It was overwhelming. We have had so many phone-calls of support. You can tell how popular he was by how many sympathy cards we have received.

"I have had phone-calls from customers I didn't even know. I bumped into one of his old pit mates in the street and he said how sorry he was to hear about Bill.

"The man said: I think he was the only one I didn't fall out with at the pit.