Britain's most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson sells off his paintings to help a disabled grandmother left for dead by robbers after serenading her over the phone with 'What a Wonderful World'

  •  Britain's most notorious prisoner wrote to pensioner after hearing her story
  •  Barbara Dransfield, 64, suffered horrific injuries at the hands of cruel attackers
  •  The pair spoke over the phone and he has been sending letters and drawings
  •  Bronson also raised £1,000 for Barbara by auctioning off some of his artwork 

By Stewart Paterson For Mailonline

Published: 10:10 GMT, 10 July 2017 | Updated: 12:36 GMT, 10 July 2017

One of the pieces Bronson sent: The convicted armed robber has raised £1,000 for disabled pensioner Barbara Dransfield after auctioning off his artwork

One of the pieces Bronson sent: The convicted armed robber has raised £1,000 for disabled pensioner Barbara Dransfield after auctioning off his artwork

A disabled pensioner who was battered and left for dead by robbers is rebuilding her life - with the help of Britain's most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson.

The high-security inmate has been writing to Barbara Dransfield, 64, and sending her paintings after he read about her ordeal from solitary confinement at Wakefield Prison in Yorkshire.

The pair spoke over the phone for the first time after Bronson's fiancée, former soap actress Paula Williamson, visited Barbara's home in Ashton, Tameside, to hand £1,000 in cash to her.

Bronson, 64, who has changed his name to Charles Salvador, even serenaded Barbara with a version of Louis Armstrong's 1967 classic 'What a Wonderful World', reducing the gran-of-three to tears.

The sum was raised after the convicted armed robber, now an accomplished artist, auctioned off a series of paintings to raise money for Barbara and her family to spend on a trip away.

Barbara says Bronson's words of support and encouragement in his correspondence are motivating her as she continues her recovery.

The pair spoke over the phone for the first time after Bronson's fiancée, former soap actress Paula Williamson (right), visited Barbara's home in Ashton, Tameside, to hand £1,000 in cash to her

The pair spoke over the phone for the first time after Bronson's fiancée, former soap actress Paula Williamson (right), visited Barbara's home in Ashton, Tameside, to hand £1,000 in cash to her

The former barmaid, who has a prosthetic leg, was subjected to a vicious beating at the hands of Nathan Clark and Stephen Mortin, who burst into her home with a baseball bat and a knife.

They demanded money as Barbara sat in her wheelchair and left her with a fractured skull, multiple facial fractures and injuries to her arms.

She was on life support and had almost every single bone in her face broken in July last year, but is now slowly recovering and receiving counselling as Clark and Mortin begin jail sentences.

Barbara said she received a letter and a drawing from Bronson out of the blue before the family learned that the Charles Salvador Art Foundation had pledged to auction off artwork for her.

Barbara, who has become friendly with Salvador, was brought the money and a card by Salvador's fiancée , Paula Wiliamson.

Barbara, who has become friendly with Salvador, was brought the money and a card by Salvador's fiancée , Paula Wiliamson.

His first note, received after she was released from hospital, reads: 'So, so pleased you're feeling a little better. It will take time to get back to your old self'

His first note, received after she was released from hospital, reads: 'So, so pleased you're feeling a little better. It will take time to get back to your old self'

Barbara said she received a letter and a drawing from Bronson out of the blue before the family learned that the Charles Salvador Art Foundation had pledged to auction off artwork for her

Barbara said she received a letter and a drawing from Bronson out of the blue before the family learned that the Charles Salvador Art Foundation had pledged to auction off artwork for her

Barbara said: 'It took a few weeks for it to sink in then I wrote to him and that's where the correspondence began'
Bronson even sent flowers and chocolate for Barbara at Christmas time

Barbara said: 'It took a few weeks for it to sink in then I wrote to him and that's where the correspondence began'

His first note, received after she was released from hospital, reads: 'So, so pleased you're feeling a little better. It will take time to get back to your old self.'

Barbara said: 'It took a few weeks for it to sink in then I wrote to him and that's where the correspondence began. There are at least a dozen messages and cards and I even got flowers and chocolates at Christmas.'

Dubbed 'Britain's most violent prisoner', Bronson has spent more than 40 years of his life behind bars. 

Bronson spoke to Barbara over the phone as a surprise. 'Let me tell you something,' he said. 'You have got to move on and forget about them two'

Bronson spoke to Barbara over the phone as a surprise. 'Let me tell you something,' he said. 'You have got to move on and forget about them two'

Barbara said the unlikely friendship is helping her and is even planning to display all his artwork on a wall in her living room - 'Charlie's wall'

Barbara said the unlikely friendship is helping her and is even planning to display all his artwork on a wall in her living room - 'Charlie's wall'

The pensioner added: 'There are at least a dozen messages and cards and I even got flowers and chocolates at Christmas'

The pensioner added: 'There are at least a dozen messages and cards and I even got flowers and chocolates at Christmas'

Bronson told Barbara over the phone: 'You have got to keep that smile on your face, treat yourself and move on'
Bronson was touched by Barabar's shocking tale

Bronson told Barbara over the phone: 'You have got to keep that smile on your face, treat yourself and move on'

The convicted armed robber has been in jail almost continuously since 1974 and is infamous for taking hostages and attacking prison guards and other inmates.

Barbara said the unlikely friendship is helping her.

She's even planning to display all his artwork on a wall in her living room - 'Charlie's wall'.

Bronson spoke to Barbara over the phone as a surprise.

'Let me tell you something,' he said. 'You have got to move on and forget about them two.

'There are about 85,000 people in prison and I can tell you that three-quarters of them are disgusted by what happened to you. You have got to keep that smile on your face, treat yourself and move on.

'You are a lovely wonderful lady and in our eyes you are a survivor.'

FIANCEE BEGS PRISON BOSSES FOR CHANCE OF FREEDOM

Ms Williamson revealed the pair dream of a life together in a countryside cottage if Bronson is granted parole

Ms Williamson revealed the pair dream of a life together in a countryside cottage if Bronson is granted parole


The fiancée of notorious inmate Charles Bronson has begged prison bosses to give him a chance at freedom.

Former Coronation Street actress Paula Williamson, who got engaged to 64-year-old Bronson last February, revealed a parole board hearing has been set for later this summer.

She insisted that he's a changed man and even revealed that if he's released, he wants to work with youngsters to steer them away from a life of crime.

Ms Williamson, 36, said Bronson has now served 14 years over a jail tariff imposed by a judge in 2000.

And she revealed a fear that he could end up like notorious gangster Reggie Kray - and only be released on the brink of death.

Kray, who controlled the majority of organised crime in east London in the 1960s alongside his brother Ronnie, died from cancer 17 years ago after he was released from a life sentence on compassionate grounds because of his health.

'I do not want him to end up like Reggie Kray, said Ms Williamson. 'They only released him because he had terminal cancer and he died shortly afterwards.

'Charlie has been in the media a lot but he is a real person trying to live his life. He is perhaps one of the warmest people I have met in my life. I think that he is a victim of his own infamy.'

Ms Williamson revealed the pair dream of a life together in a countryside cottage and said she hopes to be able to sit alongside Bronson at the parole board hearing at maximum security prison HMP Wakefield to argue his corner.

Paula Williamson's engagement ring: 'We want to live somewhere that is a little bit private. It is going to take him time to adjust. I have got to teach him things,' she said

Paula Williamson's engagement ring: 'We want to live somewhere that is a little bit private. It is going to take him time to adjust. I have got to teach him things,' she said

Bronson, who has changed his name to Charles Salvador, is known as one of Britain's most notorious and violent prisoners.

The convicted armed robber has been in jail almost continuously since 1974 and is infamous for taking hostages and attacking prison guards and other inmates.

Ms Williamson, who has also appeared in Emmerdale and Hollyoaks, said: 'We have got a parole board hearing this summer. We have not got a date for it yet but hopefully that will be soon.

'We have requested that I will be there with him. His last parole board hearing was a farce. They would not let him attend to represent himself.

But this time because he has got me, and a future, it will be different. 

'He has got hope that there is a future and I will make sure that he has a future. I get to see him twice a month and we talk over the phone three or four times a week. We never shut up - we are on for ages. We talk about plans for the future and my life, what I am up to and charity things. Things that we want to get involved in. We do tell each other that we love each other.'

Dubbed 'Britain's most violent prisoner', Bronson has spent more than 40 years of his life behind bars

Ms Williamson said Bronson's famed fitness regime hasn't waned despite his age. 

A former strongman, he holds numerous strength records.

'If you saw him you would not believe that he is 64,' she said.

'He is keeping good care of himself and his fitness is second to none. He can do 95 press-ups in 30 seconds. It is insane to watch.'

Paula said she's already thought about where they would live together - and life with Bronson on the outside.

She said: 'We want to live somewhere that is a little bit private. It is going to take him time to adjust. I have got to teach him things. He has never seen a mobile phone or a laptop.

'It will be a slow process. Our dream is to have a cottage in the country but we also want a flat in London. His artwork will be a big part of his future. It is highly sought after. People in America have enquired about it.'

The Charles Salvador Art Foundation was set up to promote Bronson's art and support charities across the country.

Asked about the wedding, Ms Williamson said no date was planned because they do not know what will happened after the parole board hearing.

Bronson's fiance added: 'I am very proud of him for all the work that he does. I am always going to get people who doubt our relationship but I am not bothered about them'

Bronson's fiance added: 'I am very proud of him for all the work that he does. I am always going to get people who doubt our relationship but I am not bothered about them'

She said: 'Ideally I want him out and to have a normal wedding but we are in limbo. We are engaged and we will get married but I do not want it to be in Wakefield. I would prefer something a little less high-security. We always talk about the wedding in terms of when he is out. But if that does not happen then that's fine.

'If we do it inside we may have another ceremony in a church when he is out. We are both a little eccentric and bonkers.'

Ms Williamson said Bronson remains in segregation - but is now a different man.

'I get his reports every month and I read them, ' she said. 'I know that everything is above board and he is behaving himself. One prison guard said to me that if it was up to him, he would let him out.

'He is getting on with everyone so we are very, very positive that this parole hearing is going to see him progress towards his release.

'I admit that in the past he has done things that have kept him there and that is his own fault. But I doubt there is another prisoner in the country that does as much for charity and others as Charlie. 

'We want him to give talks to young offenders when he comes out and help steer them along the right path. Everything is really positive at the minute. He just needs a chance.

'I am very proud of him for all the work that he does. I am always going to get people who doubt our relationship but I am not bothered about them. It is the same old, same old. I just want people to give him a chance.'