Tributes to tragic rider

The family of a motorcyclist killed in a collision with a lorry near Rugeley today paid tribute to him saying his friendly personality meant he was considered as family by many of his friends.

Both Colin Millard, aged 49, and his friend Alan Johnson, also in his 40s, died when their motorbikes were involved in an accident on the A513 between Rugeley and Armitage as they made their way to a rally in Skegness on Friday morning.

Mr Millard, of March Banks, Rugeley, had been with his wife Sue for 12 years but they only married in January.

He had two children, 29-year-old Stuart and 24-year-old Zoe.

Mr Millard had lived in Rugeley since he was a child and was a former pupil of Hagley Park school. He worked as an asbestos foreman for Birmingham firm Environ Safe.

His son Stuart Townsend said: "He loved absolutely everyone and everyone loved him. He was like a big friendly giant and a lot of people used to call him dad and grandad.

"That's how we want him to be remembered. A lot of people have been to see us and he will be really missed.

"It was like he had a lot of children and grandchildren in his family and friends."

Mrs Millard's friend Julie Horan, licensee of The Moderation pub in Green Lane, Rugeley, said: "Colin was a smashing lad."

The two Suzuki bikes were involved in the accident as they made their way to a rally with a group of others. The men were travelling towards Armitage on the A513 when, police say, the lorry pulled out from a building site near Hawkesyard Priory at 11.15am to head towards Rugeley. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Johnson, who was known in the motorcycling community as Monk, was from the Springfields area of Rugeley and it is thought his daughter is his next of kin.

The lorry driver, a 60-year-old man from Rugeley, was uninjured.