Video: Jake Meskell visits Nottingham’s Cockleman in hospital
Nottingham’s Cockleman is in hospital after breaking his hip in an accident at his home but is determined to be back selling shellfish soon.
Dave Bartram, 71, of Moore Lane, Ruddington, has become an icon of Nottingham after 50 years of walking from pub to pub to sell shellfish from a basket, dressed in his familiar white coat and trilby hat.
He says the business keeps him going after the death of his wife more than two decades ago.
But now Dave says he might need help to keep going and a fundraising page has been set up to help him on his road to recovery.
Speaking about what happened, he said: “I got up to pick something up off the table and I just twisted and fell and I then broke my hip.
“I may need help to keep going but we’ll do it someway – like when I had my ribs cracked, I still carried on.
“When I had cancer, I still carried on.
“But it’s going to be a few weeks before I can get back to it but I will get back – as long as the people of Nottingham still want me.”
