Bob Wooler

Sir Paul has sent get well wishes and a huge bouquet of flowers to his old friend Bob Wooler who is seriously ill in the Royal Liverpool Hospital. On the card, Sir Paul wrote, "Get well soon, you lovely man." Mr. Wooler has also received get well wishes from Sir Paul's brother Mike McCartney.
Bob Wooler was the resident DJ at the Cavern Club from 1961 until the club closed in 1967. He is the man who is credited with introducing Brian Epstein to the Beatles. In fact, his ex-wife, Beryl Adams, was Brian Epstein's first secretary. Now 76, Mr. Wooler is suffering from complications due to his heart condition and diabetes.

EX-CAVERN Club DJ Bob Wooler has told close friends he "wants to die" after
being taken seriously ill.

Sir Paul McCartney is among those who have sent get well wishes - and a huge
bouquet of flowers - to Mr Wooler who is seriously ill in the Royal Liverpool
Hospital.

But last night close friends of Wooler insisted the pop star doesn't realise
how critical things are for the man who introduced Brian Epstein to the
Beatles.

Bob's long time friend and business partner Alan Williams - the Fab Four's
first manager - described his condition as graver than people think.

McCartney wrote on a card accompanying the colourful blooms: "Get well soon,
you lovely man".

The ailing Bob Wooler, 76 last month, was rushed into hospital after friends,
worried that they couldn't contact him, called police to break into his flat
off Lark Lane, where they found him lying on the floor helpless.

He has been unwell for some time with a heart condition and diabetes.

Messages of good will have flooded into the hospital from scores of local
showbiz celebrities including McCartney's brother Mike, Chris Curtis of the
Searches band, Radio Merseyside's Billy Butler, musician Mike Byrne and even
Iris Caldwell, the sister of the ill-fated singer Rory Storm.

Bob's ex-wife Beryl Adams, ironically Brian Epstein's first secretary, has
been at his bedside almost daily since he was admitted.

Fighting back tears as she held Bob's hand, Beryl - they were married for six
years - said: "We didn't want to broadcast it at first because he is a very
proud man and in a general public ward with no privacy."

But she confided that in her opinion Mr Wooler is declining rapidly.

She said: "It is sad to see such a once lively personality in this
undignified state.

"He has had checks on his kidneys and liver but it's been hard to find out
exactly what is happening. All that the staff will say is that they are
dealing with it."

Beryl went on: "It is awful that his last days should be so tragic. He is
stuck here in this public ward with the television blaring day and night.

"And because he can't walk he even has to perform his ablutions in front of
other patients. No-one even bothers to draws the curtain. It is so
humiliating for him." Bob Wooler - his feet and lower legs swollen
grotesquely by chronic water retention - has told friends: "I just want
something to happen. I can't go on like this. I want to die now."

A clearly distraught Beryl Adams said: "We asked if he could be moved to a
quieter side ward - with just two beds - but it seems they are only for
infectious cases."

Over the past 10 days, Beryl said she and other friends have tried
desperately to find a private nursing home for Bob to see out his last days
with some pride intact. "But he doesn't have much money and they are so
expensive." An upset Allan Williams added: "When you think of what Bob has
contributed to Liverpool's culture and music industry it is appalling that he
is suffering like this. Just left to fade away.

"We just wish something could be done at least to make his end more
comfortable and leave him with a little self respect," he said.

Bob Wooler was resident compere during the Cavern heydays from 1961, when the
fledgling Beatles cut their teeth, through to 1967 when the old club closed
down...SUPL: