'Heartbroken' widow says thank you after Northampton supermarket staff put free flowers in with weekly shop following husband's death

Mary Ratcliffe had enough on her mind following her death of husband Terry, so rearranging her weekly shop from Morrisons was just another job.

What she didn't expect was for the shop to arrive on Monday with a free bunch of flowers from a sympathetic member of staff.

Mary, from Roade, told the Chronicle & Echo the little gesture from the staff at the Victoria Promenade supermarket meant the world to her in the week after the death of her husband of 58 years.

She said: "I called them to rearrange the delivery because the undertaker was coming on Saturday and I asked them to come on Monday instead.

"When the shopping came there was a beautiful bunch of flowers with it. I told the girl who brought them they weren't for me and I hadn't ordered any flowers.

"She said 'we know, they're for free - we're sorry for your loss.'

"It broke my heart. We were both crying. She said she would have cuddled me if she could.

"It was absolutely wonderful after all I'd been through. They were some beautiful chrysanthemums and all sorts of colours to cheer me up."

The staff even went as far as to give her that week's shopping for free.

Terry 'Ted' Ratcliffe passed away on July 27 with Mary at his side. He was 83.

Mary said: "He was a wonderful husband. We were married for 58 years."