My grief for husband in Thames death dive

A YOUNG widow told today how her husband's natural high spirits led him to dive to his death from Waterloo bridge as he tried to cool off in hot weather.

Sorrel Bill, a 27-year-old shop manager from Surrey Quays, said she still cannot believe she is never going to see her husband again.

Nicholas Bill, also 27 and known as Billy, dived off the bridge into the Thames with two other men on Saturday evening, one a stranger, who both escaped with their lives.

The Bills had agreed to go out separately on Saturday and Sorrel had her first inkling something might be wrong when she woke up alone in the early hours of Sunday. Mrs Bill said today: "It's absolutely heartbreaking to think his adventurous spirit led to his death. It is such a tragic waste. He was full of life and always game for a laugh.

"When we kissed goodbye, I never dreamed it would be the last time I ever saw him. I just can't believe he's never going to walk through the door again.

"I woke at 5am on Sunday and was immediately worried. I played the answerphone messages to see if there was one from Billy and instead found two from the river police and one from his friend asking me to call.

"It dawned on me something terrible had happened - but when I phoned his friend and he told me about the prank, I still hoped Billy might have got out of the river downstream without anyone realising.

"I kept praying he was wandering around con-cussed somewhere and that he would walk through the door with the same cheeky grin he always wore. When the policeman came to see me with the news I just broke down. I can't describe the emotions I went through. I would never, never want anyone else to go through so much pain.

It is the worst news anyone could ever receive and it is impossible to explain how much it hurt."

Builder Billy stripped off and dived from the bridge at around 8.45pm on Saturday after drinking with his friend.

They were joined in the fatal escapade by the stranger and used inflated bin bags as makeshift buoyancy aids but while the other two managed to scramble out, Billy did not surface.

It was not until Billy's body was found in the early hours of Tuesday that she had to face the fact he would not return.

The couple had known each other for eight years and were looking forward to their first wedding anniversary in September.

Mrs Bill said. "He was a lovely person, a real character who was always ready with a joke, and who lived life to the full. I want people to understand they should not be fooled into thinking rivers are safe places to go for a dip. It was so reckless of all three of them to take such a risk, but I feel too numb to be angry with them."

She now plans to mark the wedding anniversary with a little of the spirit she so loved in her husband - by taking her friends on a picnic.

"I know it will be a very difficult time for me, but I don't want the day to go unmarked for Billy's sake.

He would love to think of us all toasting him and talking about him.

"He always enjoyed a big occasion and he liked people making a fuss of him, so that's what we're going to do."

Detective Inspector Alan Harvey, leading the inquiry into the tragedy, said: "We sympathise with Mrs Bill and strongly back her call for people to use common sense and not jump into rivers.

"The river may look pleasant and refreshing but it has strong, unpredictable currents which can be lethal."

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