Family's appeal over widow death

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The family of a 90-year-old Swansea widow have made an emotional plea for information on how she died.

A £10,000 reward has been offered for help leading to the arrest and conviction of those who broke into Avril Evans' home last Thursday.

Police are trying to establish whether she was confronted by burglars who ransacked her home in the Hafod area.

Her granddaughter Naomi Evans, 24, called her "one of the most loving and caring persons in the world".

Ms Evans told a news conference: "She was kind to everyone and was a wonderfully amazing mother and gran and was the best that we could have asked for.

"We all miss her terribly. There is no word that can be used to describe how we have felt since the news has reached us.

She had to leave us in a shocking and unintended way Granddaughter Naomi Evans (R)

"We are a very close family and Nan loved having the family round," said Ms Evans, the youngest of four grandchildren.

"She'd been looking forward to my birthday which was yesterday and also Christmas to spend time with us all.

"But she had to leave us in a shocking and unintended way."

A post-mortem examination has showed Mrs Evans died from a heart attack but her granddaughter said the family wanted more answers.

"We just want to know what happened. We know what she died of but we want to know how."

Terraced home

Ms Evans made a direct appeal to those who ransacked her grandmother's house to come forward and speak to the police.

More than 30 detectives are working on the case.

Police want to hear from anyone in the area from Thursday afternoon

The man leading the investigation, Det Supt Ken Isaac, revealed that one or more people entered Mrs Evans' terraced home by using a ladder to get through an upstairs rear window.

The property had been ransacked by the time Mrs Evans' body was found by her 60-year-old son Alun at 2105 GMT last Thursday.

Mr Isaac said he was still working to establish what, if anything, had been taken.

"Today a large number of posters have been put on display at key locations to appeal for information," he said.

He said the last sighting of Mrs Evans was at 1550 GMT at the post office on Neath Road near her home.

"I would like to make a special appeal to those who have broken into Avril's house around the time of her death.

"Please come forward to speak to us and tell us what you know."