An RAF veteran aged 84 has died from a stroke suffered after a burglar broke into his home.

Robert Morris's widow Kathleen, 82, has called it "murder" and added: "The man has not just taken my husband's life but he's stolen mine as well.

"We were together 58 years and I don't know what to do with myself now.

"I can't contemplate life without him."

Mr Morris died on Sunday, three weeks after suffering a stroke which occurred just days after the break-in.

Brighton and Hove police have launched an investigation into the burglary but Mr Morris's family want the inquiry upgraded to one of murder or manslaughter.

Detective Chief Inspector Graham Bartlett, head of CID, said: "We are extremely sorry to hear of Mr Morris's death and our thoughts are with his family at this time.

"But this matter cannot be dealt with as a manslaughter or a murder case as there would need to be a direct link between the offender's conduct and Mr Morris' illness.

"While we acknowledge this burglary would have caused Mr and Mrs Morris a great deal of worry and distress, this is not enough to hold the offender directly accountable for Mr Morris's death."

Mr Morris's son Alan, 57, is not satisfied and he is planning to write to Chief Constable Ken Jones.

Mr Morris said: "People on the grassroots level in the police have been wonderful but the rest of them have been appalling. This was manslaughter, plain and simple."

His parents were watching television on April 9 when they heard a noise at the front door of their home in Marine Drive, Saltdean.

The burglar broke through one door and was trying another when Mrs Morris challenged him and pushed him out. The family has no doubt the shock caused his father's stroke.

Police believe it may have been the same burglar who broke into the family's home for a second time on May 20 while Mrs Morris was visiting her husband in hospital.

This time he stole jewellery and antiques, many of them heirlooms.

Mr Morris, who served with the RAF in North Africa and Italy during the Second World War, never regained consciousness at the Brighton General Hospital and was unaware of the second break-in. Items stolen included a watch bought for him by his son and a carriage clock.

Mr Morris was an audio visual senior officer at Sussex University until he retired and his widow, who helped to build Lancaster bombers during the war, ran a clothing shop in Queen's Road, Brighton.