A COMMUNITY has rallied together to help the mother of Magor man who died in a case of suspected murder.

Before he died in a caravan fire in Magor at the end of last year, Richard Grenfell Thomas had started to sort out his 92-year-old mother's garden in Caldicot.

Mr Thomas, known as Shrew to his friends, was killed before he could complete the work.

One of his friends Catherine Mayo put out an appeal on social media asking if anyone in the community could help finish the garden.

She said: "Another friend, Christopher Morris, approached me and asked how we could get some of the community to help with the work.

South Wales Argus: Work was carried out to transform murder victim Richard Thomas' mother's garden in Caldicot

"Richard's mum is in her 90s and deserved to have something nice done to remember Richard. A group of men came together to clear the garden and its now all beautiful for her."

She said special thanks had to go to Ben Daly, of BRD Waste Solutions, and Hywel Cleaves for stepping up and helping to transform the garden.

"We didn't have a lot of money to make it better but we did it!

"And a huge thank you to Gemini Plants in Leechpool for its generous donation of beautiful plants for the garden. Despite recently suffering a break in they were incredible and made a donation to our cause."

Ms Mayo said: "Mrs Thomas can now look out and remember her son."

South Wales Argus: Work was carried out to transform murder victim Richard Thomas' mother's garden in Caldicot

  • Gwent Police received a call shortly before 2.30am on Monday, December 20, reporting a fire in a caravan at The Beeches Residential Caravan Park, Grange Wood, Knollbury. Richard Thomas, aged 52, was taken to hospital for treatment, but died from his injuries on Monday morning. A 43-year-old man from Monmouthshire has been charged with murder and currently awaiting trial.