Walsall pair revv up as World Cup fever hits
She might not be in Rio but one pub landlady has not let that stop her revving up in style for the World Cup.
Julie Hikins, whose husband Craig is licensee of the White Horse in Walsall, celebrated England's participation by taking her first ever motorcycle ride dressed in red and white.
She rode pillion after friend Graham Payne offered to take her on a trip round the streets on his machine – a 125cc Lifan purchased from an ex-Saddlers player 12 months ago.
He decided to continue the sporting theme by decorating it in St George's flags and balloons for the spin round town with Mrs Hikins who dressed up as the character Emmy in the film Mannequin starring Kim Cattrall.
"It was my first ever motorcycle ride, although I do ride a bicycle. When Graham set off with me on the back it was a bit daunting at first but I soon settled down. He got the bike all decked out in flags and we put some face paint on as well.
"We did get a lot of funny looks and stares from people as we rode up to Bloxwich and back. "My husband and some of the customers cheered us as we came down Green Lane," the hospital administrator, aged 48, says.
The mini-road trip took them from the public house on the A34 Green Lane, in Birchills, to The Bell and the Robert Peel pubs, in Bloxwich, then along High Street back to Green Lane, and Stafford Street in Walsall town centre before returning to the White Horse.
Mr Payne, who organises charity events, says: "We made quite a spectacle. The ride was a present for Julie because she had never ridden pillion before."
"I bought the bike about 12 months ago from a former Walsall Football Club player. He had it for quite a while it seems, but it had low mileage."
Mr Payne, aged 65, is a well known face on the amateur entertainment circuit and has helped to raise thousands of pounds for charities and good causes.
He performs as an Elvis impersonator at public houses and social clubs in the Black Country and Staffordshire.
In 2009 he organised a series of activities including sponsored beard shave to raise £200 for the neo-natal unit at Walsall Manor Hospital. He grew a long beard for the effort and organised a bungee jump and music nights at pubs in the Birchills and Caldmore areas of the town.
