WATCH: Family's emotional plea for answers over Knaresborough hit and run victim

The family of a Knaresborough man who was killed by a hit and run driver have issued a heartfelt plea for more answers on the tenth anniversary of his death.
Left to right: Bill's nephew Cam Hendry, brother Neil Hendry and Neil's wife Barbara at the scene of the incident.Left to right: Bill's nephew Cam Hendry, brother Neil Hendry and Neil's wife Barbara at the scene of the incident.
Left to right: Bill's nephew Cam Hendry, brother Neil Hendry and Neil's wife Barbara at the scene of the incident.

Bill Hendry was left 'lying in the street' after he was knocked down while crossing Stockwell Lane, Knaresborough at 9.38am on 26 February 2007.

Today, his brother, stepdaughter and nephew, gathered at the scene where he was killed in an emotional plea for information, which could give them the closure they've never had.

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In a statement Mr Hendry's stepdaughter, Chris Torr said: “Bill was a fit and healthy man who was robbed of his life. We’ve also been robbed of a kind and caring father and grandfather.

Left to right: Bill's nephew Cam Hendry, brother Neil Hendry and Neil's wife Barbara at the scene of the incident.Left to right: Bill's nephew Cam Hendry, brother Neil Hendry and Neil's wife Barbara at the scene of the incident.
Left to right: Bill's nephew Cam Hendry, brother Neil Hendry and Neil's wife Barbara at the scene of the incident.

“As a family we feel that Bill was tragically killed by a driver who behaved in a cruel and callous manner.

“They left the scene without facing up to the responsibility of their actions. Ten years on they have still not had the courage to come forward.

“We feel that someone does know who was responsible for Bill’s death. Today we urge them to come forward to help the police, and help us finally have some closure as a family.”

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The 75-year- old had been to the Post Office with his dog, Abby, when he was crossing back over the road to Half Penny Lane where he lived.

Left to right: Bill's nephew Cam Hendry, brother Neil Hendry and Neil's wife Barbara at the scene of the incident.Left to right: Bill's nephew Cam Hendry, brother Neil Hendry and Neil's wife Barbara at the scene of the incident.
Left to right: Bill's nephew Cam Hendry, brother Neil Hendry and Neil's wife Barbara at the scene of the incident.

After running him over, the driver fled the scene and Mr Hendry died in hospital the same day.

Detective Chief Inspector David Ellis visited the scene with Mr Hendy’s relatives today.

He said: “A decade on, this remains a very, very raw and distressing case for Mr Hendry’s family.

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“Whoever was driving that car knew full well that he or she had hit Mr Hendry. But instead of helping him, they left him lying in the middle of the street.

“It’s often said that time is a healer, but Mr Hendry’s family have had to spend the last ten years knowing that the person who left him to die has never been brought to account for their actions.

“I’m standing shoulder-to- shoulder with them today, on the spot where he was killed a decade ago, because the passage of time can turn up fresh information."

Mr Hendry had no children of his own, but became a step father to Chris and her brother Brian when Chris was in her 20s.

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Ms Torr said: "The pain doesn't go away it's just a sense of loss that's there all the time and things that he is missing out on as a family.

"He's missed the lives of his five grandchildren and now they've got children, he would have been a Great Grandad. He's missed out on lots of family events that he would have been proud of because he just loved his family and embraced us all.

"Even after my mum died he would often come up for Sunday lunch and things and I would come down to see him once every two or three weeks. He walked me down the aisle.

"I couldn't have wished for a better person to be my surrogate Dad, and that's what he became. He embraced the whole family, he didn't have children of his own so he just relished having a ready made family, but also the Grand-kids loved him as their Grandad because they don't know anybody else.

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"We just hope that there will be some closure, that we'll find enough information to find out who killed Bill and why they left the scene so callously, just have the courage to come forward.

"It would give us closure and give us a face because otherwise he's taken from our lives and we've just got no answers apart from him being killed in this manner. It's just left hanging."

After their stepfather's death, Brian worked tirelessly looking for answers, but tragically the family suffered another loss when Brian died recently.

Ms Torr said: "It's personal closure for me on my brother's front because he was instrumental in a lot of this when it happened so it's something he wanted to do, he wanted an appeal so it's sort of for him."

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Mr Hendry’s family laid flowers by the roadside in his memory today.

His brother, Neil, said: "I can hear his voice now in my head. Somebody knows they've done it, put yourself in our position, we've got no answers."

Mr Hendry was wearing a green Barbour jacket, glasses and a cloth cap when he was hit.

Police have always believed that the driver – who was travelling at speed – knew they had struck Mr Hendry but despite people nearby saying they heard the collision, nobody saw the vehicle involved.

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Detectives believe it was a small car or van, and it drove off in the direction of Boroughbride Road.

Det Chf Insp Ellis said Stockwell Lane is a busy residential route used by commuters, and investigators believe the driver probably lived or worked in the area at the time.

He added that because of the nature of small towns like Harrogate and Knaresborough, it is probable that the driver still lives locally.

He said: "Somebody close to the driver will know or have their suspicions about who was involved in the incident.

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"There's a good chance that they were behaving strangely or disposed of a car at the time because the car probably had some damage to the front end and obviously it was quite a high profile investigation at the time.

"It's the right time to come forward, it's been ten years the family haven't had the answers and no one has been held to account for killing Bill in this accident and it's really on behalf of the family to help give them some closure. We need to know who did it."

North Yorkshire Police has set up a dedicated phoneline for the appeal.

If you have any information relating to the incident, no matter how insignificant it may seem, please call 01904 618 681.