Matchmaker Michael Winner urges widow of hero murdered detective to marry again
Film director Michael Winner has turned matchmaker to help the widow of a police hero find happiness again with a new partner.
Carol Swindells, 45, lost her husband, Detective Constable Michael Swindells, four years ago when he was stabbed as he tried to make an arrest in Birmingham.
Michael Winner kisses Carol Swindells at the memorial to her dead husband before urging her and her new partner to marry
Mr Winner had become friends with Carol through his charity, The Police Memorial Trust, which commemorates officers killed in the line of duty.
At a ceremony to unveil a memorial to DC Swindells last week – with tributes led by his 22-year-old daughter Kelly – the Death Wish director made a speech to hundreds of people and asked Carol’s new partner, warehouseman Neil Tyres, 33, when he was going to make an honest woman of her – and offered to pay for their reception.
Mr Winner explained: ‘I said, “Neil, you’d better marry this woman; she’s a wonderful woman.”’
Carol and Neil had been friends at the transport company where they worked and he helped her overcome the ‘numbing’ loss of DC Swindells in May 2004.
Michael Winner has offered to pay for the couple's reception Carol said it was Mr Winner’s intervention which persuaded her new fiance to pop the question.
Neil added: ‘I couldn’t avoid it any longer. I proposed and we’re planning to marry next year.’
