Tributes to Colin at Armed Forces Bikers’ rally

Mr Murphy, 61, from Hastings, was involved in a crash with a Ford Fiesta car while riding his Triumph Legend motorcycle along the A259 Main Road, Icklesham, and died at the scene.

Bikers from across the country visited the rally at The Robin Hood Inn, Icklesham, and paid their respects to Mr Murphy’s son Steve Murphy and daughter Toni Murphy.

“It’s good to come and see everybody, there’s no point sitting around moping, this is our biking family,” Steve said.

The charity hosts the rally every year in aid of ex-servicemen and women in need of support and Lee Miles, who was on BBQ duty, knew Mr Murphy for 26 years.

He said the former painter and decorator was always supportive of the charity.

“He would always put himself out to help others and never had any spare time because he was busy, his van never got cold because he was always doing somebody a favour,” he said.

Mr Murphy spent a lot of time with his fellow bikers at the Carlisle pub, Hastings, and at rallies, and everyone who knew him remembered him as a generous friend.

Kirk Clark and Simon Kenward both knew Mr Murphy for more than 20 years.

“He loved all his family; his proper family and his extended biking family who are all here,” Mr Clark said.

Mr Kenward added: “He’s a guy I partied with, biked with and went and did silly stuff with.

“He used to have super long hair and had it all shaved off a couple of years back for charity.

“But more recently, he’s been quite central to organising little outings for all of our kids, the so-called weekend fun club.”

Mr Murphy lost his granddaughter Alicia to leukaemia in February 2010 and Sarah Upton understood the difficulties he and his family had been through.

“He was an honorary parent in the biking world and a good friend to everybody,” she said.