Take my mother off the internet, says son whose mum is YouTube video hit

A video of a woman attacking an abusive man with her handbag outside Mayday Hospital has become an internet phenomenon – but caused her husband to have a stroke.

Since it was posted on YouTube last week, the short clip, called "RIP Margaret: Showdown at Mayday Hospital" has been viewed by half a million people.

It showed Margaret Green, 57, from Davidson Road, Croydon, attacking and swearing at a man for making a racist remark.

Now her son Adrian Green, 24, is appealing for it to be taken off the internet because Margaret died just days before Christmas.

Mrs Green passed away on December 19, and Adrian's distraught family want to be given the chance to grieve and to look after their seriously ill father George, 67, who had a stroke for the sixth time minutes after watching the video online.

Adrian explained: "My dad is a strong man but I can tell you he is torn up inside. Seeing his wife being ridiculed on the internet cut him up.

"He sat there stunned. Less than 20 minutes later he had the stroke and was back in hospital. How he has survived six, I just don't know."

Seeing the video completed a horrific few weeks for Adrian, who was the first to discover his mother's body and has not yet had the chance to scatter her ashes.

He and his family have also been harassed by "fans" coming to their home and asking about the clip.

Adrian believes the video, which is little over a minute long, was recorded by an ambulance driver at Mayday Hospital, who is believed to have posted it online as a tribute to her life.

He said: "I've looked on his YouTube site and I recognise his face. He drives ambulances at the hospital. Mum was very friendly with the crews at Mayday.

"I don't know why he would do this.