A grandmother has died on the first day of her motorcycle holiday in France.
Keen biker Sheila Clarke, 58, from Hollin Road, Bollington, was riding her black and gold Honda CBR600f through Normandy, alongside 18 other bikers including her husband Tony, son Craig and brother Barry, when she was involved in an accident on the motorway.
There were no other vehicles involved.
Tony, Sheila’s husband of 17 years, said: "She was in the country she loved, with the people she loved, doing the thing she loved.
"If you’ve got to go, then that was the perfect place for her."
Engineering manager Tony, 61, described his wife as lovable, bubbly and forthright.
He added: "She was a superb rider and loved riding. It was the bike she had always dreamed of."
Grandmother of 10 Sheila – known affectionately as Groovy Grandma – was heading to Rochechouart with The Crown Bikers, the Bollington club she founded with Tony and friend, Alan Heath, but died on May 2.
A date for the funeral is yet to be confirmed but a service will be held at St Gregory’s Church.
Tony added: "Sheila’s dad died last year and she said to us all, when I die I don’t want you moping around and wearing black, so we’re not.
"We’re going to go to the funeral on our bikes and we are going to wear our jeans and our club T shirts. It will be a celebration of her life."
A former pupil at St Oswald’s Primary School and Macclesfield High School for Girls, Sheila worked as a community warden.
Despite suffering from osteoarthritis, she was also a dedicated volunteer at the Bridgend Centre.
Cath Hockney, community worker at the centre, said: "Sheila did an awful lot for the centre. She will be missed, she was very generous with her time and a friendly lady."
Sheila leaves four children, Craig, 39, Tracey, 37, Grant, 31, and Aaron, 23, and three step-children, Sean, 41, Lee, 38, and Matthew, 33.
You can contact the family through Sheila’s Facebook page. Donations to the centre are requested in lieu of flowers.
