One final journey for motorbike lover Keith

The life of fanatical biker Keith Mellor was celebrated at a service after his coffin was transported via a sidecar hearse to give him a fitting send-off.

Keith died on Wednesday, November 6 aged 72 following illness and was described as a man who loved motorbikes until the day he died.

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Army veteran Keith’s coffin, draped in a Union flag, was taken from his and wife Marie’s Knowsley Road home on Monday morning to St Helens Crematorium to give him one last motorbike ride.

During his life, Keith served in the army for 22 years and worked at the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).

Keith leaves behind wife of 51 years Marie, 72, daughter Andrea, 49 and son John, 50 and was also a granddad-of-five.

Keith and wife Marie Pic: Sarah Gibson

Daughter Andrea and the family put a call-out for motorcyclists in the area to accompany Keith’s hearse as it made its way to the crematorium, acomompanied by an entourage of bikers.

Keith was described as a “devoted to husband, a loving father and a proud as punch granddad” whose loves were family first and everything else was bikes.

Biker Keith

The service heard that Keith Served with the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers including at bases at Germany and Northern Ireland.

During this time he spent time in a military hospital in Cyprus as part of a UN peacekeeping force following an invasion by Turkey in 1973 and made it to the rank of warrant officer overseeing a 50-strong workshop of men.

Since their wedding Keith and Marie made an annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Man for the TT race and later to the August Grand Prix.

Keith was also a rugby union player and referee.

Keith with his granddaughters

Touching tributes were paid to Keith with daughter Andrea reading a moving poem “My dad was my hero”, while granddaughters Sarah, Christine and Paula also shared their memories of their granddad.