Revving rev's ultimate final ride

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7478520.stm

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A vicar who decided he could offer an uplifting funeral service rather than a sombre event has, quite literally, got on his bike and acted.

West Yorkshire minister Rev Ray Biddis now uses his motorbike to pull a customised trailer hearse.

Mr Biddis said since word about his alternative funeral transport had spread he had dozens of inquiries.

One person aged 93 had already booked their spot on the trike trailer rather than use a conventional hearse.

The revving reverend said "I've been a biker since I was 15 and when I became a minister I didn't see why I should stop biking.

"So I went from a Hell's Angel to a Heaven's Angel.

"I started doing funerals to earn extra money because my first wife had cancer and I wanted to give her the very best quality of life that I could in the time she had left."

Go on, give it some Next of kin at the funeral

He said the idea of formulating his own funeral hearse and service started after he had seen so many miserable services he decided to act.

"I watched other people doing funerals and I saw some miserable funerals, I mean some of them were dire.

"I thought this, is wrong, this should be a celebration of somebody's life...mourning is going on naturally the last thing you need is a miserable service. So I started doing funerals full time after she died."

Mr Biddis said he eventually realised he was burying people younger than himself and he began to "think about life and where you're going".

"I thought, what happens when I go? I'm not going in a car - I wouldn't be seen dead in a car.

"So I had a look at what was available for bikers."

The first funeral using the trike hearse was in Leeds on Friday and the family involved were happy with the event.

"Today's funeral went brilliantly, a huge procession of bikes - we completely blocked the ring road.

"People want something that's different, that reflects part of a person's life, and I wanted something that was modern, that was tasteful, .

"It's very popular, for bikers and even non-bikers. I've got a booking from someone who's 93. She said, well, when I go, I'm going in that."

He said the bikers' spirit was still evident, even at the funeral: "We nearly caught out a photographer on the way to the funeral because the next of kin who was riding pillion on the motorbike hearse said 'go on, give it some'."