Bikers' tributes to couple killed in cable car crash

Friends of a couple who were among four people killed in a cable car crash near Naples say they are "devastated" at their deaths.

Elaine and Graeme Winn, who lived in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, died alongside two others in Thursday's crash at Monte Faito, near Naples.

Local officials have said they believe the mountain cable car cabin plunged to the ground after one of the cables supporting it snapped.

Friends say the pair were keen motorcyclists, and on Sunday at a meeting outside the Black Horse in Foxton, fellow bikers and members of a club paid tribute.

Karina Mottley was one of many bikers who turned out to pay their respects to the Winns.

"They were the founders of the club, so we spent most weeks and weekends together, riding bikes and doing social things," she said.

"They were literally the best people I think we've ever met really.

"The biking community is such a close community - not just our club, other clubs across the East Midlands have been in contact, so it's just [had] a massive impact on all the clubs.

"Everybody knew of them, and everybody loved them."

Don Moore said the Winns were deeply involved in the local biking community.

"They were a fantastic couple," he said.

"They lived [for biking] - Graeme had recently retired, Elaine was cutting down her working days so she could do more biking and holidays, and they enjoyed all of that tremendously.

"Everybody's been absolutely devastated, there's been lots and lots of lots of tears, and everybody's been down, hence us having a little meeting today.

"It's such a tragedy to go in the way they have, on a holiday that they were dreaming of as well... you don't expect to have a dream holiday and not come back."

Sarah Hix said she worked with Elaine, who was a school business manager at Welland Park Academy in Market Harborough, for about 10 years.

"She threw herself into school life," she said.

"You never think it's going to be someone that you know.

"I only got back last night, so I've not really spoken to anybody, but two or three of my colleagues have spoken to me, and we're absolutely devastated."

Andrew Shrive said he met the Winns through their shared passion for biking, and had previously been on holiday with them.

He said Elaine had been a major influence on bringing more women into biking, and said Graeme's lifelong love had seen him buy "about 45-50 different bikes".

"They're the nicest couple that I've ever known," he said.

"I'd just come back from France touring on a bike, and I'd seen there had been an incident in Italy, and I heard that two Brits were killed, [and] I knew that Graeme and Elaine go over there, but you don't think that two people you know would be the two people involved in that serious accident.

"I just couldn't believe it."

Estelle Ambler said it will take time to come to terms with their loss.

"I couldn't believe it when I heard the news, it's very shocking," she said.

"We'd only seen them last week, and they were all excited for going away on their holiday.

"I've been following them on their travels on their social media - they'd only been in Italy a couple of days, and looked like they were having the most amazing time.

"To hear what has happened to them is shocking and extremely sad."

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