Tributes to Martin Turner – the 'driving force' behind New Forest cycling club

TRIBUTES have been paid to the “driving force” behind a New Forest cycling club whose body was found the day after going missing from his home.

on Sunday as they searched for Martin Turner (54) whose family had last seen him leave home in Totton around 8am the previous morning to go for a bike ride. The death is not being treated as suspicious.discovered the bodyPolice

Formal identification was still awaited from the coroner this week, but Mr Turner’s next of kin has been informed. Friends and family were among hundreds who posted heartfelt messages about him on social media.

cycling club, which celebrated his memory on Facebook.Nieuw BosKnown as Surge, he was chair of the

It said: “Martin was the driving force behind our great club, and he will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of riding with him. His encouragement and presence will be missed both on and off the road.”

Secretary James Davenport told the A&T that although Mr Turner only became club chairman in late 2019, he had been crucial to its running and organisation throughout its years of existence.

Local races and club rides were among many events Mr Turner organised, as well as Sprint Classics in Europe. He particularly enjoyed cycling events in Belgium, which is the epicentre for the sport.

“Martin was the heart and soul of the club and was one of the founders of the club,” Mr Davenport said.

“The club was born from a handful of friends who rode throughout the winter in all weathers. Martin especially liked testing and inclement weather as this he considered to strengthen the resolve of a cyclist.

“The ethos and culture of the club is an extension of the encouraging and supportive nature that Martin displayed.

“Offering a rare and balanced approach to being competitive on the bike but also glad to see others improve in miles covered or developing a passion for the sport of cycling.”

The secretary vowed the club would endeavour to carry on in the spirit of dedication Mr Turner had shown over the years.

He added: “Martin will be sadly missed by his friends and the cycling community. Our condolences and best wishes go out to his family and friends.”

Staff at Café Velo, a family-run cycling café in Ringwood, also expressed their sadness on Facebook, saying: “Thank you again everyone for searching, sharing and doing all you possibly could to find him. Rest in Peace Martin, you will be greatly missed.”

People took to the comments sections on both the Nieuw Bos and Café Velo Facebook pages to share their memories of Mr Turner.

His daughter Ellie posted: “Me and my family would like to say a big thank you to everyone who shared the post and went out looking for my dad. He’s going to be missed by so many people.”

One tribute described him as a “lovely man”, adding: “He was a good plumber and helped us with a lot of our rented properties. He helped to redesign our kitchen and bathrooms.

“Always a smile and a laugh. We will miss him.”

Many thanked the cycling community for their efforts in trying to find Martin, and praised Café Velo for its part in the search, with one saying: “You should all be very proud of the search you put in. Great community spirit.”

Another added: “The cycling community has done itself proud this weekend. Such a sad ending.”

Mr Turner’s body was discovered near Old Harry Rocks in the Swanage area, and police called out the coastguard to help with the recovery.

A spokesperson for the Dorset force told the A&T his death was not being treated as suspicious and was being handled by the coroner.