By Elizabeth Hunter via SWNS
A motorbike enthusiast has been given one last ride to his own funeral – in a hearse made from his favorite bike model.
Colin Reed, known to friends as Reedy, spent much of his life on the road with his trusty motorbike, traveling around the country from his Middlesborough home.
When he sadly passed at the age of 75, his family decided a more fitting hearse was in order for the avid biker.
After buying a Triumph Tiger Cub in his 20’s, Colin became an avid biker and enjoyed travelling around the UK with his wife Alma on camping trips.
When Colin wasn’t behind the handlebars of a bike, he enjoyed stripping his bikes down thoroughly to clean and polish them, before putting them back together again.
Over the years, he owned many sets of wheels, including several AJS motorcycles, but his favorite remained the Triumph Bonneville.
Alma, arranging Colin’s funeral with Co-op Funeralcare Coulby Newham, told staff about his passion for bikes – and they thought it seemed only right that the Triumph should give him his final send off.
Alma said: “Guests at the funeral were so surprised and impressed by the motorbike hearse and commented on how it was such a wonderful tribute to Colin.
“It truly was a head-turner – it was so special. Thank you Co-op Funeralcare for everything.”
Andrea Claxton, Funeral Director at Co-op Funeralcare Coulby Newham, said: “We were pleased to be able to support Alma with such a personal request.
At Co-op Funeralcare, we are now seeing more families choose to celebrate a loved one’s life by honoring the things that were important to them.
“We take great pride in offering flexibility to fulfill any family’s wishes – no matter how big or small they might be. We love helping families find unique, heartfelt and creative ways to say goodbye to their loved ones in the manner they find most fitting.
“Alma was over the moon when she saw the bike. It was a day that was personalized in such a wonderful way, bringing joy and comfort to everyone who knew Colin.”
