Over 200 tow trucks drive together in memory of beloved mechanic | National

By Adam Dutton via SWNS

A convoy of over 200 tow trucks and recovery vehicles came together to drive down a motorway in memory of a popular mechanic following his death.

Hundreds of people turned out to honor businessman David Pickering who passed away following a short battle with Covid and pneumonia earlier this month.

Truckers traveled from around the country to form the procession which drove 20 miles in formation along the M5 on Sunday, July 28.

The fleet of vehicles set off from Strensham Services and ended up at David's business at Berry Hill Industrial Estate in Droitwich, Worcs.

National Highways led the convoy as recovery vans, lorries, and cars honked their horns and flashed their yellow emergency lights while traffic slowed to watch.

Crowds also stood on bridges and motorway junctions to clap the vehicles as they slowly moved past at midday to mark the time David died on July 7.

The truck drove 20 miles in David Pickering's memory. (Emma Trimble via SWNS)

Dad-of-two David had forged his own recovery business, Elite Recovery Midlands, with his wife Jo in 2011 and had become a respected mobile mechanic.

The 66-year-old, of Droitwich-Spa, Worcs., had sold the firm to his colleague Nathan Green but he and his family carried on working for the firm.

After hearing about David's tragic passing his friends rallied together to create a fitting send off for him.

Speaking beforehand, his wife Jo Pickering paid tribute to her late husband, saying: "He helped thousands and thousands of people - I cannot even put a number on it.

"He just loved helping people and getting people back on their way.

"You do not realize how much someone is respected and liked in the industry.

"Dave would be absolutely honored that people are doing this in his honor and to pay tribute to him.

David Pickering passed away after a short battle with COVID. (Emma Trimble via SWNS)

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"It will be emotional and very special."

Nathan Green, who now runs the firm, said: "Nobody else was a better teacher and dedicated to a business.

"I started in 2015 and we worked side by side every day - it is hard to put into words what he was like.

"He was friends with everyone he met. Everyone who brushed past him was left a better person."

National Highways also set up rolling roadblocks and closed slip roads for the safety of other road users.

Simon Griffiths, 56, helped organize the drive and said his friend would've done the same thing for someone else.

The truck drove 20 miles in David Pickering's memory. (Emma Trimble via SWNS)

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The workshop manager said: “I have known David 28 years.

"It’s a lot bigger than I expected. He would’ve enjoyed it. If it was someone else he would’ve been the first to do something similar."

Mom Maria Beetlestone, 40, watched the convoy from a motorway bridge with her husband Richard, 46, and their ten-year-old son Ted.

Maria, who works in banking, said: "I saw it was happening on a Facebook group and I thought it would be quite interesting as my son loves trucks.

"Just as the procession went through, they were being quite loud and that attracted more locals to it.

"The post mentioned that the gentleman had passed away unfortunately and it was quite a nice gesture."

David is survived by wife, Jo, and two children, Hayley Waldron and Gabby Pickering. His funeral service will take place on Thursday (1/8).

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