Tributes paid to 81-year-old cyclist who died in Honiley crash - The Leamington Observer

Tributes paid to 81-year-old cyclist who died in Honiley crash

Leamington Editorial 18th Jul, 2015 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

TRIBUTES have been paid to a keen cyclist and much-loved great-grandfather who died in a crash with a car in Honiley.

Reginald Elliott was cycling along the A4177 Honiley Road just outside the Honiley Court Hotel on June 27 when his bike was involved in a collision with a Volkswagen Golf.

The 81-year-old, known as Reg to his friends, was a member of a number of cycle groups in Leamington, Birmingham and Solihull.

His daughter Mandy spoke of how he had been a keen cyclist for nearly 40 years, who up until recently, had a personal annual mileage target of 10,000 miles.




Mr Elliot leaves behind his wife Sheila Elliott, two daughters Wendy and Mandy, a son Russell, as well as five grandchildren Chloe, Hannah, Fergus, Felix and Gwydion and one great-grandchild Orla.

Before retiring, he worked as a Production Manager at Automotive Products in Leamington and during his earlier life he had driven HGVs for the RAF, ran greengrocers shops, and been involved in Wellesbourne Market.


He had a keen interest in photography and a love of the environment and of nature.

He had also studied for a degree in environmental science alongside his daughter at Warwick University, whilst his son studied the same subject in Scotland.

Mr Elliot was buried at his chosen final resting place, Westall Park Natural Burial Ground in Redditch.

‘Reg’s Last Ride’ left his home with a group of around 35 cyclists escorting the open air hearse who followed a route which he regularly cycled along the country lanes, to arrive at the Nevill Arms, New End.

There Mr Elliot’s coffin was transferred to a simple wooden cart, drawn by two shire horses; just like the ones he had worked with on a farm in Devon, in his youth.

The cart led the 1.5 mile procession to the burial ground with his family walking behind, behind them a group of 70 to 80 cyclists in their variously coloured club shirts.

The family requested no flowers at the funeral and instead collected donations for his favourite charity Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance – raising more than £700 so far.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision or anyone who saw either Reginald riding his bike, or the Volkswagen Golf prior to the collision.

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 quoting incident number 137 of Saturday, June 27.

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