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September 9, 2010

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British premier mourns death offather in France

BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron's father died in France yesterday after suffering a stroke while on holiday, the leader's office said.

Cameron flew to a hospital in Toulon, on the French Riviera, to be at his 77-year-old father's side, arriving shortly before he died, a spokesman told reporters in London.

"It is with deep regret we can confirm that Ian Cameron died earlier this afternoon. He passed away shortly after the prime minister arrived at the hospital in France where he was undergoing treatment," Cameron's office said in a statement.

Cameron planned to stay in France overnight, but remained in charge of British affairs.

His father, a retired stockbroker, previously had had both of his legs amputated and used a wheelchair.

In an interview before his election in May, Cameron described his father's refusal to allow his disability to impede his life.

"My father is a huge hero figure for me. He's an amazingly brave man because he was born with no heels - quite a disability," Cameron said. "I think I got my sense of optimism from him."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy provided a helicopter to take Cameron to the hospital after he had rushed to France from London.

Cameron canceled meetings to travel to France with his brother and other family members. He was not accompanied by his wife or children.

The British leader had returned to work on Tuesday following the birth of his fourth child, Florence, on August 24.

Cameron and his wife, Samantha, have two other children, Elwen and Nancy. Their eldest son Ivan, who had epilepsy and cerebral palsy, died last year aged six.

 

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