Batman, the Honey Monster and Fred Flintstone turn out for funeral of biker who wanted mourners to go in fancy dress

Friends make it a service with a difference for popular Gary Pattison

The 'witty' and 'gentle' father-of-one asked for fire-breathers to greet guests



Requested words 'bacon' and 'discombobulated' to be included in tributes



Mr Pattison, 42, died five days after coming off his bike in Lower Elkstone, Staffs

A popular biker got the send-off he had dreamed of when mourners arrived at his funeral in fancy dress.



Instead of the traditionally sombre black, Gary Pattison had requested the quirkiest service possible and asked friends to come dressed as superheroes, animals and his favourite foods.



A nd they didn't disappoint as their outfits included Fred Flinstone, the Honey Monster, Batman, a Star Wars Stormtrooper, a badger and even a packet of crisps, a fried egg and a strip of bacon.



It was a funeral with a difference for popular biker Gary Pattison as friends turned up to mourn him in fancy dress. Characters on show included Batman and Superman at the service in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire

Fred Flintstone, left, and the Honey Monster, also made appearances at the unorthodox service



Mr Pattison, a father-of-one, died from his injuries five days after coming off his bike. He was 42

Mr Pattison, 42 and a father-of-one, had requested the bizarre service before he tragically died from injuries sustained in a bike crash in Lower Elkstone, Staffordshire, earlier this month.



Fire-breathers and 1930s jazz musician greeted more than 250 friends and family who gathered to say their final farewells.

Laughter echoed throughout the ceremony as friends remembered the 'funny' and 'witty' motorbike instructor.

A final message from Mr Pattison was read out which ordered those who wanted to speak at the service to include certain words - including 'bacon' and 'discombobulated' - in their speeches.

Quirky Mr Pattison has requested tribute speeches to include the words 'bacon' and 'discombobulated' at his funeral with a difference

Other costumes included that of a badger, left, and a fried egg, right, as mourners gave Gary his final wish



Gary, 42, had died following injuries sustained in a bike crash in Lower Elkstone, Staffordshire

Gary wrote a speech for the funeral, which said: 'In the words of Warner Brothers, "That's all folks"! Enjoy and do me proud'

Mr Pattison's biker friends turned out in droves for the service, where they paid tribute to a 'witty' and 'gentle soul'

He also asked for 'what's left of my savings' to be put behind the bar at the wake.

Mr Pattison's message continued: 'As I have no idea when this will be needed I can't pick a venue for a wake, so long as it's cheap and they have got good traditional ales - and there's a takeaway close by.

'In the words of Warner Brothers, "That's all folks"! Enjoy and do me proud."

Mourners also recalled Mr Pattison's love of junk food - or 'dirt' as he called it - and images from throughout his life appeared on a screen to the sound of Massive Attack's 'Unfinished Symphony' and Iggy Pop's 'Lust for Life'.

Abiding by his last wishes, the full music video of John Shuttleworth's 'I can't go Back to Savoury Now' was also played.

Childhood friend Craig, said it was 'impossible' to think he was gone and added: 'He would have hated leaving so soon.'

Mr Pattison's 13-year-old daughter, Becca, touched her devoted father's coffin in a moving farewell as a 1988 live recording of Rush's 'Closer to the Heart' finished the proceedings.

The popular biker was rushed to hospital after an accident on the B5053 at Lower Elkstone, Staffordshire at about 12.25pm on August 26. He died five days later.



Paying tribute to Mr Pattison after his death, friend Vanda Kaminski, 31, described him as a devoted dad to his daughter Becca, who he lived with in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

She added: 'Gary was a keen biker, kayaker and hill walker and enjoyed socialising with friends.

Stormtrooper, left, and Mario paid their respects to Mr Pattison, who was known for his love of junk food



More than 250 family and friends attended the quirky funeral, where they were greeted by a fire-breather

Mr Pattison was described as the 'gentlest, sweetest soul and the most dry, to-the-point, sarcastic, funny person I knew' by one friend

'He loved to be outside, and could often be found tinkering in his garage on one of his many projects bought from eBay to do up in the little spare time he had.

'This great bear of a man was both the gentlest, sweetest soul and the most dry, to-the-point, sarcastic, funny person I knew.

'When you met him, you couldn't help but be drawn to him. He never shied away from telling you exactly what he thought, and he was rarely wrong.

'I cannot begin to imagine how I shall pass each day without his cheeky texts, or hearing him on the end of the phone.'

Mr Pattison ran a pub and worked with youth offending services before spending the past two-and-a-half years as a bike instructor.