After an hour of waiting, circus show-tunes were bashed out on the organ, and the doors at the back of the church burst open.

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Many of them will have been among the legions of fans whose letters bombarded Sir Patrick, each of which would get a reply bashed out on Sir Patrick's long-suffering Woodstock typewriter.

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"Victims now are far less likely to be a bashed-up pensioner and more likely to be a young professional who has had a phone grabbed out of their hand or pocket, " he said.

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