A dedicated jeweller who was forced to shut his shop because of repeated raids has died just weeks before its closure.
Norman Bolton had worked at NG Boltons, in Guiseley, for the last 74 years and only stopped working there while he joined the RAF during the Second World War.
The 90-year-old and his business partner and son Robert were forced to close the family store after falling victim to 23 robberies and attacks.
Staff had been threatened with sawn-off shotguns, and windows were smashed with lump hammers and pickaxes.
But the final straw came after the theft of jewellery from Robert Bolton’s car while his father was a passenger.
His family fear that the stress of the robberies could have contributed to the heart attack that killed him on Friday, December 29.
Paying tribute to his father, Robert said: “I was very close to my father and had worked with him for 37 years.”
He said his father enjoyed working with clocks and celebrated his 90th birthday on Boxing Day.
Mr Bolton said he spent the next day with his father in Whitby where they delivered a diamond ring to a client.
He added: “He worked last Friday as per normal and complained of discomfort in his chest. He had a massive heart attack on Saturday morning.
“My mother died in May and he was doing quite well.
“He had been through a very stressful period and his heart problem could be stress related because he never had problems previous to that.”
His funeral service will be held at Guiseley Methodist Church on Wednesday at 11.30am.
Family flowers only and donations can be made to Gusieley Methodist Church Cubs.
The shop will close on February 2, although valuation work will continue.