British grandfather is killed in The Gambia by muggers who stole his cellphone

A British grandfather has been killed in Africa after being mugged by two men trying to steal his phone.

Jeff Cantwell, 79, had been living in Brusubi, located near the western coast of The Gambia, for over a decade when he was brutally murdered. 

He had left his compound to meet some friends at a restaurant on Sunday evening when two men jumped him, his family say. 

Friends thought something was wrong when Jeff, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, hadn’t arrived and wasn’t picking up his phone.

They then went to his house where they found him seriously injured. He was rushed to hospital, where he died shortly after. 

Mr Cantwell had been working with different African charities on different projects, including finding sponsorship for school uniforms and arranging medical supplies for hospitals in remote areas.

He had only just returned to The Gambia at the beginning of October from a six-month trip to the UK to see his family, who are based in Hollinwood, Oldham.

Jeff’s devastated daughter Janine Cantwell, 52, said: ‘Yesterday we got a message from one of my dads friends in Gambia that my dad had passed away.

British grandfather Jeff Cantwell was killed in The Gambia on Sunday after thieves tried to steal his phone

Mr Cantwell leaves behind three children, three grandchildren and 11-great grandchildren 

‘This was quite a shock as he only went back to Gambia on the October 1st after being with me for six months but what is more shocking and upsetting is that he had been attacked.

‘We don’t know the full story yet. I have been in contact contact with the foreign office but they don’t know any more at the moment’, she said. 

Ms Cantwell added: ‘Our dad has been murdered and we have no answers apart from shock.

‘They assaulted and mugged a 79 year old man [and] ended up killing him’. 

She said she is planning to travel to Gambia next week to make funeral arrangements for her father.  

‘I know it will be a struggle as right now we are full of hurt, anger and a feeling of being in limbo and lost but we will get through it,’ she said. 

Danielle Egerton, 32, has set up a GoFundMe campaign for her mother-in-law, Janine Cantwell, to raise money to bring his body back to the UK. 

Ms Egerton has told how it could cost them up to £10,000 to bring him home, adding that they have to pay a fee each day Jeff’s body is kept in the morgue.

Jeff had two other sons, Mark and Andy, as well as three grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Ms Egerton said that the family are also facing mounting costs while his body remains in the morgue.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Ms Egerton said that everyone is ‘absolutely heartbroken’ by Jeff’s death.

She said that the family has very little information about what happened to Jeff and are finding out ‘a bit more every day’.

She said: ‘They just can’t believe that it’s happened. He always loved it there, it’s where he was his happiest.

‘I have looked online and it says it can cost between £3,000 and £10,000 to bring him home.’

The family says that they have contacted the Gambian police, who have launched an investigation. 

An FCDO Spokesperson said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British man who died in The Gambia and are in contact with the local authorities.’