MORE than 50 bikers took part in a procession to give one of their friends the send-off he had asked for.

Bill Hindle, 56, died last week after a 17-month battle with cancer, and bikers from all over the North West attended his funeral, following the cortege from Cross Barn Grove, Darwen, to Pleasington Crematorium.

The former business manager and father-of-four had “a brilliant send-off”, daughter Shala said, with Thin Lizzie’s “Whisky in the Jar “ and “The Boys are Back in Town” playing out.

She said: “Dad had time to plan things, and he decided he wanted a real biker’s funeral, and we definitely did him proud.

“All the bikers looked brilliant following the hearse down the road. It was a lovely send-off.

“There were an awful lot of people there, and not just bikers in their leathers. Dad knew everyone. He was the kind of person who would always tell it straight, no matter what anyone might think.

“He was one of the good guys and the best dad in the world.”

She added that Mr Hindle had always been a biker – even though he had suffered an accident at the age of 17 and spun through a car windscreen.

He returned to life on the road in his early 40s, joining Darwen Motorcycle Club and taking part in regular rallies to the Lake District.

Shala said: “He was always a biker at heart. Even that bad accident didn’t put him off. He just loved everything about motorbikes.”

Mr Hindle leaves wife of 29 years Elaine, daughters Shala, Janine, Sarah and Vicky, and grandchildren Carrie-ann, Brandon and Elio.