Essex Man killed in Australia bike crash

[BaZa®]

Man killed in Australia bike crash

February 22, 2007

ESSEX, ENGLAND -- A former businessman from Essex who emigrated to Australia when he retired has died following a motorcycle accident.

Peter Deane's life support machine was turned off on Valentine's Day, three days after the crash.

The 63-year-old, who worked as a senior manager for Woods of Colchester, was taken to Hervey Bay Hospital in Torbanlea after the early morning collision.

He had been riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle with a woman pillion passenger when a car collided with the bike, which then hit a traffic island.

His pillion passenger was also taken to hospital, but her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The Fraser Coast Chronicle reported that Mr Deane suffered serious head injuries in the crash.

Yesterday Andy Stollery, from Wivenhoe, a friend of Mr Deane and his wife Brenda, said he would be remembered with great affection.

“We were mates for a long, long while,” he added.

Another friend, former Colchester United footballer Peter Wright, 73, said: “I still can't believe it. He bailed me out a load of times. We had family holidays together, to places like Lanzarote and the Gambia.

“We got in some scrapes together but you couldn't have a better friend. He was great company and a hell of a bloke.

“When I was in Australia I rode on the back of the Harley Davidson. He joined the Wide Bay club, a bikers club, and he was very high up in it.”

Mr Wright said he and a group of friends would be assembling in Colchester at the time of Mr Deane's funeral in Australia.

“We will be drinking to him. It will be very sad, but he wouldn't want us to mope about. There will be lots of stories - everybody has a story about Deaney.”

[stevethegreek]

sad news....RIP.