Shoppers and staff came to a standstill for a few minutes to pay their last respects to Tim Osborn – tragic victim of a hit-and-run – as his body made its final journey.
Tim, of Bourne Road, Pode Hole, had worked at Morrisons, Pinchbeck, for the past ten years and the hearse carrying his body to a funeral ceremony at Peterborough Crematorium, took a detour through the supermarket’s car park to allow colleagues to say their final farewells.
The procession to Peterborough was joined by scores of motorcycles ridden by Tim’s dad Stephen’s friends from the biking community who wanted to give Tim a fitting send-off.
The emotional journey ended with a guard of honour by bikers at the crematorium, before mourners remembered the 27-year-old with a mixture of Tim’s favourite music and memories of the young man, who has left “a very large hole” in the lives of his family – Stephen, mum Lynne, and siblings Zoe, Emma and Michael.
At the service Stephen fought back tears as he read out a eulogy he had written to his son, who he described as “kind, patient and fun to be around”.
He said: “Only now are we finding out just how special our Timothy was to other people, helping them through hard times and being a shoulder to cry on.
“Tim’s death has filled us with great sorrow, but with an extraordinary pride and love for what he has achieved.
“Tim, I am so sorry we couldn’t be there to stop this happening. We love you forever and you will always be in our hearts.”
Music included Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, from The Phantom of the Opera, Bat Out Of Hell, by Meatloaf, and the chorus from Eminen’s When I’m Gone.
Tim was killed on September 14 after he was hit by a silver Transit-style van. A 41-year-old was arrested and released on police bail until November 28.