POLICE divers have retrieved a mobility scooter from the River Thames in Abingdon after an elderly man fatally plunged into the water.
The man, named locally as being known as Bill the Busman, died at about 9pm on Saturday after falling into the river by Abingdon Bridge at about 2.30pm.
The former bus driver, who was in his 70s, was a regular at the Harp pub in Stert Street and last night friends told of their shock on Facebook.
Nigel Chadwick wrote: “RIP Bill The Bus.”, while Colin Webb said: “God bless him.”
The victim was pulled from the water by Fluff Cummings who runs Kingcraft chandlery and boat hire centre. Mr Cummings, 46, told the Oxford Mail he had rescued the same man in almost identical circumstances last summer.
Police retrieved the scooter yesterday.
They are not treating the incident as suspicious but have yet to formally identify the victim.
An air ambulance and police helicopter landed at Abingdon Vale Cricket Club to attend the scene and the match was halted before the man was taken to Oxford John Radcliffe Hospital.
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