EALING Council is considering naming a street after the Poole man killed as he tried to stop rioters in London.

Richard Bowes, 68, died on Thursday night and an inquest into his death is due to be opened today at West London Coroners’ Court.

Ealing Council leader Julian Bell said of the suggestion: “We need to pay tribute to Mr Bowes – it’s a great idea.”

Mr Bowes, a retired accountant, was reportedly set upon by a mob after he tried to stop youths setting fire to industrial bins last Monday night.

He came from a distinguished family of Poole doctors who lived at Rusthall, a detached villa on Parkstone Road, and who ran a surgery on Sandbanks Road.

He was a pupil at Canford School boarding in Wimborne from September 1956 until March 1961.

He was a house prefect in Franklin House, secretary of cross-country for two years, and was in the naval section of the combined cadet force.

Neighbours in Ealing said he was a reclusive but ‘lovely’ man.

A post mortem carried out on Saturday gave his cause of death as a head injury.

Ealing Council has launched an appeal in his memory to help victims of the riot.

His sister Anne Wilderspin, 73, travelled to London from her Derbyshire home to see him in hospital.

She had not seen him for more than 30 years before he died and said: “I think we feel very proud that he was prepared to act to stand up for his rights – even though it cost him his life.

“I feel sad all these rioters haven’t found purpose in life other than destructive violence.”

Detectives were yesterday questioning a 22-year-old man on suspicion of murder, rioting and three burglaries.