A GREAT-GRANDMOTHER from York was moved to tears as her dream of riding on a Honda Goldwing motorbike came true.

Mavis Hildred, 87, enjoyed a surprise pillion ride as part of a convoy of 15 motorbikes from the Yorkshire Goldwings group on Sunday.

Her daughter, Jacqui Scales, had arranged the trip to 'put a smile back on her face' after her Huntington Road home was hit by the Boxing Day floods.

York Press:

Mavis Hildred is kitted out by Wendy Snowden

Jacqui and her husband Ian had kept the ride secret, telling Mavis they were simply walking into York from her temporary accommodation.

Mavis' face was a real picture as she saw the ranks of 1,800cc Goldwings parked outside the nearby Spar shop.

She said: "I didn't know where we were going. I just thought we were going for a walk, so I put my boots on.

"I love motorbikes, Honda Goldwings especially.

"I feel overwhelmed, I'm going to cry.

"It's better than having it at my funeral when I couldn't enjoy it."

Mavis and Jacqui both rode with the Yorkshire Goldwings on the back roads to Malton via Castle Howard and then returned to York on the A64.

York Press:

Jacqui Scales (left) and her mum Mavis Hildred

The great-grandmother said she had last ridden a motorbike around 30 years ago, but remained a big fan.

"I graduated from scooters to 250cc bikes, that's the most I have been on," said Mavis.

"The furthest I have been on two wheels was from York to North Devon. That was on a scooter."

York Press:

Mavis Hildred with the Goldwings

Jacqui, Ian and Mavis were all rescued from Mavis' home on Sunday, December 27 as Huntington Road became one of York's worst-hit areas during the floods.

"We were staying with mum over Christmas before moving to the Isle of Wight," said Jacqui.

"The flooding was so traumatic for her. She couldn't even remember how her dog Buster got out. We had to show her the photos.

"She’s struggled with losing many family memories and the whole of the downstairs level of her home has been thrown in the skip and lost forever.

"I thought let's do something to make her smile again.

"I just contacted the Yorkshire Goldwings online. They said yes, we'd love to do it."

York Press:

Mavis Hildred is rescued from her Huntington Road home on December 27. Photo: Ian Scales

Jacqui added: "Motorbikes have always been a passion for her and I love them as well. I must have got that from mum.

"When we have gone past Goldwings, she would always drag me off to have a look at them."

Chris Snowden, from Yorkshire Goldwings, said: "We said 'right, let's go for it'.

"If there were only two or three bikes, we would still have done it, but we thought let's make it a bit of a spectacle."