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27
Oct
Daughter appeals for help as Ripon man’s inquest looms
The daughter of a man who was found dead in Ripon Canal has appealed for help as his inquest approaches.
Lifelong Riponian Shaun Barton, 60, was a familiar face in the city on his mobility scooter, which he used following a motorcycle accident.
Police found his body in the canal in the early hours of Sunday, September 13.
Boroughbridge Road was closed for most of the morning while emergency services and investigators carried out work.
Shaun Barton. Pic: Gemma Cox
Gemma Cox, who was born in Ripon but now lives in Dorset, set up a fundraising page to pay for her father’s funeral costs.
It has so far raised £1,820 and although the funeral has now taken place Ms Cox asked for help to boost the total to £3,000.
She said the family was still struggling to pay for the funeral and other costs, such as clearing her dad’s flat.
Ms Cox, who is on Universal Credit and is a full-time carer for the eldest of her two daughters, said people could either contribute to the gofundme page here or send money directly to Rushton Family Funerals in Ripon, quoting her dad’s name.
Shaun Barton with two of his granddaughters. Pic: Gemma Cox
‘Unanswered questions’
An inquest into Mr Barton’s death is due to open at Northallerton on Friday.
Ms Cox said there were “unanswered questions” over what happened to Mr Barton in the hours after he left Ripon Bowling Club, apparently in good spirits, on the fateful Saturday night.
North Yorkshire Police said at the time: “At this stage, there is nothing to suggest any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.”
Ms Cox said she didn’t know why her dad had taken a different way home that night and questioned why police had not checked CCTV or ring doorbell footage, especially as she understood two young people on bikes had been seen in the area at around the time her father left the club.
She said:
Dad was one of the most loving, down-to-earth and funny people you could ever meet. He didn’t need much to be happy, and he had a way of making us laugh even when we didn’t feel like smiling.
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