THE grieving widow of a former serviceman killed by a police car on an emergency call has spoken of her sadness at his sudden death.

Grandfather Brian Elton, 72, of Endlebury Road, died after being struck by a marked car on a 999 call in the Ridgeway, Chingford, just yards from his home.

He was taken to the Royal London Hospital, in Shoreditch, but died from head injuries at about 5pm on Saturday, four hours after the accident.

Mr Elton's widow Monique told the Guardian: “It was such a shock.

“I heard the helicopter overhead, which was very loud and I went out and saw the ambulance crews with a crowd of people watching.

“I had a strange feeling it might be Brian, but when I saw the injured person I saw two naked legs, from where they removed his clothes, and thought it was a lady.

“It was only later when a police officer knocked on the door and had Brian's bus pass in his hand I realised what happened.”

A keen traveller, royalist and swimmer, Mr Elton lived an interesting life.

He was one of hundreds of serviceman gassed by the Government at the Porton Down research centre, while doing national service in the 1950s, finally winning £8,300 compensation last year.

He taught swimming classes in Enfield, Haringey and Waltham Forest and was the president of the national Swimming Teachers Association in the late 1980s.

As well as being a spiritual healer, Mr Elton was also heavily interested in politics and was an activist for the Conservative party.

Mrs Elton said: “Brian liked talking to people, he was very friendly and interested in people.

“Within five minutes he would know everything about you. “

Mrs Elton, a French citizen, met her future husband on a cruise to the Caribbean in 1969, and they married a year later.

She moved to England and the couple lived in Rectory Close, close to where Mr Elton was brought up, in York Road.

The couple enjoyed travelling and went to places including Kenya, China, Thailand, Egypt and Russia at a time when globetrotting was more diffiicult.

Mr Elton had two sons, David and Mark, and a grandson, Ethan, two.

It is not known why Mr Elton decided to re-cross the Ridgeway having got off the bus and crossed the road.

Mrs Elton said she is satisfied with the authorities handling of the incident and believes it was an accident.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was informed of the incident but is not investigating as it is satisfied the police car was travelling at an “acceptable” speed and had its lights and sirens on.

The Met Police has launched its own investigation.

The Elton family has requested not to be sent flowers, but anybody wishing to make a donation can send one to Mrs Elton, at 138 Endlebury Road, Chingford.

All donations will be sent to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

The time and date of the funeral has yet to be finalised.