MAN, 75, PUTS POSTER IN WINDOW FOR NEW FRIENDS AFTER PASSING OF WIFE

Widowed 75-year-old, Tony Williams, placed a sign in the window of his home in Alton, East Hampshire, after the sudden death of his wife.

"Every time I walk in the room, the first thing I do is look at her photograph."

Tony described himself and Jo, a legal secretary, as "soul mates", who met in a bar just over 35 years ago. "Our relationship was always so natural. We had no secrets and we could be totally open with each other," he explained.

After her death, and feeling socially isolated, Tony decided to put up a poster asking if anyone would like to be his friend. He explained that since the passing of his soul mate, Jo, in May, he has gone days without talking to anyone.

Jo sadly passed away only nine days after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

"Now I’m here, completely alone, in the house where my lovely wife spent her dying days," Tony said. The retired physicist is unfortunately not near any family members and does not have children of his own.

Recently, Tony placed two adverts in his local newspaper saying that he was looking for someone to speak to. Unfortunately he did not receive any replies.

Now, he took things to a next level and decided to place a poster in his own window.

The sign reads: "I have lost Jo. My lovely wife and social mate. I have no friends or family. No one to talk to. I find the unremitting silence 24 hours a day unbearable torture. Can no one help me?"

To reach more possible friends, Tony also made business cards to hand out to people at the supermarket.

"It's my last resort. I've tried everything to make friends, but it feels like nobody wants to talk to me. Not very many people pass my house, but I was hoping it would spread around the community, and someone might reach out. Jo was my best friend and we had a lovely life. But now I'm all by myself. My wonderful wife has just died, and I have nobody," he said.

He explained that he is hoping for someone to see the sign and to phone him. "I just want a nice conversation so I'm not sat in silence all day long. I'm not looking for someone to listen to me cry – I just want a normal person who I can chat to! I can talk to anybody about anything. I spend most days just sat in the house in silence, just waiting for the phone to ring… but it never does."

Although Tony's neighbours offered to help him, the 75-year-old said he's after a friend his own age to be able to communicate with.

"I just want a friend, and I hope my sign will find someone for me."