'Gold ring' Shropshire beggar dies of cancer

A Shropshire beggar who hit the headlines four years ago when a man dropped a diamond solitaire ring into his collection box has died of cancer, his daughter said today.

Big Issue seller Tim Pockett, 50, was given just three months to live by doctors when he was diagnosed with the disease in June.

But he has managed to defy the odds and was able to spend Christmas with his daughter Donna Griffiths and grandchildren in Acrefair, near Wrexham, before he died yesterday.

Mr Pockett, who is originally from Cardiff, was well known in the Shrewsbury area and came under the national spotlight in May 2006 when a man dropped a £500 white gold ring into his bowl.

The beggar was sitting in his usual spot outside Marks & Spencer when he saw the piece of jewellery among his coins.

Police later discovered that the man who dropped it into his bowl had gone to jewellers in nearby St Mary's Street to sell the ring but was told they would not buy it.

After waiting a month Mr Pockett was able to keep the ring because the original owner had not reclaimed it.

He later gave it to his daughter Donna as a gift.

She said today: "My dad was really well known in Shrewsbury for selling the Big Issue and playing his tin whistle."

Ms Griffiths said that her father was a positive man who had not let his illness defeat him.

She said: "He just kind of got on with life and didn't really say anything about it. He lived every day as it came and he didn't give up."