A popular biker well-known for riding a purple motorised tricycle has died following an 11-month battle with cancer.

Dave Cloud had been a much-loved member of the Ohana Motorcycle Rally Club in Herne Bay for the past three years, passionately taking part in its charitable activities.

The 62-year-old, described as a "gentle giant" by friends, was a greengrocer and builder by trade.

He was diagnosed with liver and pancreatic cancer after collapsing on his son Scott’s doorstep last Christmas.

Scott said: “He was a strong character, which is why we believe he went on as long as he did with his illness. He was fighting everything even down to his last moments.

“He came to my house in Orpington on Christmas Day last year and on Boxing Day he went to see his cousin.

“As he came back to mine, he collapsed on my doorstep. He was in hospital between Christmas and New Year.”

Dave, originally from Crystal Palace, moved to the seaside in 2013 after going on a number of caravanning holidays to the Kent coast.

Soon after moving to Daimler Avenue he got talking to a group of bikers on the seafront, which convinced him to join Ohana.

The grandad then regularly took part in its annual Easter egg and Christmas pyjama runs, which involved delivering treats, gifts and clothes to children in nearby hospitals.

“It was his calling,” Scott, 39, added. “He had bikes when he was younger, but he wasn’t really a keen biker until he got into that group.

“He was remembered for his tricycle; being a purple one, his used to stand out quite a lot.

'He’d be incredibly proud to see the amount of people paying tribute to him now' - Scott Cloud

“Not long before he went, he said to me, ‘I won’t be able to do the toy run this time because I don’t feel well’ and I said, ‘get better and you can do the next one’.

"He loved doing the charity work.”

Dave died at his home on Friday, November 29. He leaves behind two children and six grandchildren, whose ages range from two to 17.

“He was a family man and he was great with my kids,” Scott continued.

“Everybody used to know him by his name. He was a character everybody knew.”

Dave’s funeral will be held at Thanet Crematorium in Manston Road, Margate, today.

Bikers from Ohana are planning to ride from Herne Bay Clock Tower to his home in Studd Hill at 11am, before proceeding to the service.

Scott says it was his father’s dying wish to be escorted to his funeral by fellow motorcyclists.

“He said to me he wanted a biker’s funeral,” he said.

“He’d be incredibly proud to see the amount of people paying tribute to him now.

“The group is going to do him so proud. The funeral is going to be a special event – there will be lots of bikes there.”

Ohana is calling for as many bikers as possible to join them next week for Dave’s send-off.

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