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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Lydia Patrick & Sara Odeen-Isbister

Neighbour left behind 14 YEARS' worth of Christmas presents for girl, 2, before dying

An elderly neighbour left behind 14 years' worth of wrapped gifts for a two-year-old before he died and she opens one every Christmas.

Kind-hearted Ken Watson befriended the Williams family, including their daughter Cadi, during the last two years of his life.

After his death at the age of 87, his daughter Jenny brought round a sack of presents for Cadi, who was then two, to be opened once a year until she was 16.

The family were "knocked off their feet" by his generosity - and started a tradition of Cadi opening her 'Ken gift' very Christmas Eve.

The first gift Cadi opened in 2018 was a book, Christmas Eve at the Mellops, by Romi Ungerer.

In 2019 there was a cuddly goat, a train set spelling 'Cadi' was 2020's gift and last year she opened a giant Crayola colouring book.

Cadi got a cuddly goat in 2019 (Owen Williams / SWNS)
She opens one of Ken's presents every Christmas eve (Owen Williams / SWNS)

All the presents are wrapped so the family from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, have no idea what's inside.

But Cadi, now six, is looking forward to opening Ken's fifth gift on Saturday.

Her dad Owen is keeping Ken's kindness alive by sharing each gift online to encourage people to #BeMoreKen - and get to know their neighbours.

Owen, 44, a managing director of a social agency, from Barry, South Wales, said: "It was a rainy windy night and I was getting Cadi ready for bed.

Kind hearted Ken Watson befriended his neighbours, the Williams family before he died (Barry and District news / SWNS)

"There was a knock at the door, and it was my neighbour's daughter, Jenny, clutching a large bin bag.

"I thought it was rubbish that needed to go out, but she said these are the gifts my dad has put away for Cadi.

"It was confounding, magical, ridiculous and heart-warming. It knocked me off my feet but in the best way possible.

"It was the feeling that gets you in the throat - when your brain is processing quicker than your heart can take it."

Ken told the family he would live until the age of 100 - so had bought enough presents to last until Cadi's 16th birthday.

Cadi opened a wooden train spelling her name in 2020 (Owen Williams / SWNS)

"I took in the sack and started getting them out, and they kept coming and there were 14 in total," he said.

"They were all beautifully wrapped in thin traditional paper, the kind your grandparents use.

"We were all blown away by it.

"Being the Twitter user I am, I started tweeting about it and I asked if my wife and I should open now and rewrap them or lucky dip until 2032."

67k Twitter users voted and a resounding 68 per cent said the parents should do a lucky dip each year until Cadi reaches the age of 16.

Owen and Caroline Williams with their daughter Cadi (Owen Williams / SWNS)

"We couldn't resist opening one on the night as there was a tiny tear in it, it was a beautiful olive coloured book called Christmas Eve at the Mellops," Owen said.

Owen added: "Ken was a former salvage diver, seaman carpenter and baker. I remember him playing his accordion at night and sometimes still think I can hear his 'oompah' music.

"The first time I met him he was in September 2015, I wanted to give him a bottle and say hello. He was on top of a ladder at the age of 83, in a blue boiler suit painting.

"The ladder was like a pogo stick, he was 20ft up in the air. I looked across to Lloyd, who lives across the street, and we both mouthed 'what the heck?'"

Cadi got a book, Christmas Eve at the Mellops the first year (Owen Williams / SWNS)

The family dog, Wci, pronounced Wookie, was one of Ken's best friends and their bond started when he gave him a chocolate digestive - which she isn't supposed to eat.

"The dog went wild like he had a magic pheromone," Owen said.

"She fell in love with him - she would destroy the plants in the garden at the spot where she would see him."

Ken didn't have any grandchildren of his own and adored Cadi, as if she were his own granddaughter.

For her first birthday, he gifted her a giant cuddly Lion, called Elvis, and he went on to buy them for every child on the street - costing £20 a pop.

"I went into a lovely local toy shop called Giggles and I happened to mention to the owner that our neighbour had bought Cadi one of the lions for her birthday," Owen said.

The couple decided to make the presents into a lucky dip and Cadi chooses one each year (Owen Williams / SWNS)

"She replied 'was it Ken?' She then told me he came in after seeing them in the window and decided to buy them for all the children in the street. He was a Santa-esque figure."

Ken also became fond of Owen's partner and Cadi's mum, Caroline, 38, an assistant head teacher.

When Ken passed away in 2018 from cancer, his neighbours were devastated. Owen now hopes to inspire others to get to know their neighbours this Christmas.

He said: "We all have a neighbour, they live above, below and besides you. You never know what doors might be opened by opening a door."

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