A 100-strong motorcycle convoy provided an emotional and poignant escort to a teenage boy's prom last week.

The riders gathered at The Crown pub in Heather - and then travelled to Coalville to make sure a dad's wish was fulfilled.

Landlady of The Crown, Jane Matkin, organised the journey after young Mickey Green's father, Chris, passed away.

Before he died, he asked that his son, aged 16, receive a bikers' escort to his prom at Bosworth Hall.

Mickey's dad was a friend of Jane and her partner, and she made an appeal on Facebook for bikers to come to The Crown and join the convoy to Coalville.

What she expected was perhaps 30 or 40 to respond and turn up on the day.

But what she discovered on Thursday evening was a group of 100 riders who wanted to be part of it.

The bikers arrive at Bosworth Hall with Mickey

Jane told Coalville Nub News: "Mikey's dad was mine and my partner's friend from school years, and he recently passed away.

"He was going to take Mikey to the prom with bikes and things like that, but obviously with him passing away that wasn't going to be possible

"All we did, was to make it possible, we got the bikers in the community together.

"It was mainly the lads who come here on a Tuesday night for biker nights - and other events that we have on here.

"We all clubbed together, we put the message out on Facebook.

"And it was just amazing, when you look back at the video, it makes you want to cry.

"Altogether, 100 bikers turned up.

"We spoke to Mickey about it and he wanted that wish to be fulfilled.

"It would've been his dream to go with his dad, he would have arranged it. 

"So we arranged it to happen for him instead."

Jane says the evening became emotional for everyone connected with the ride.

She added: "On the night, we were able to tell Mikey's story to other people who turned up, and we were quite overwhelmed as was Mikey.

"It would've been his dream to go with his dad, he would have arranged it, So we arranged it to happen for him instead."

"He got out of the car and just had to go straight inside because of the emotion, but it was his wish, which would have been his dad's wish as well."

Jane says she was able to build on the pub's reputation as being biker-friendly.

The pub is also noted for its charity fundraising events during the year.

But she was still astonished at the response.

She added: "We're quite lucky in that we are known as a pub that bikers can come to.

"They're always welcome.

"But the word was soon passed around.

"So that's what we were able to do.

Landlady of The Crown in Heather, Jane Matkin. Photo: Coalville Nub News

"We left here at 6.15pm on Thursday, and then we all went from here to Mikey's house in Coalville and we left there at about 6.40.

"Then we went through Hugglescote onto the A447 and then onto Bosworth.

"We invited riders from other groups to come down and join us. It was amazing."

A Crown regular, Terry Gee, was one of the riders who took part.

He said: "I've only seen anything like that when we go to the War Museum.

"It was a great sight seeing all the bike outside revving up before we left.

"We weren't expecting that many, probably no more than 40. But a lot of people got to hear about it, word of mouth."