Mr Stephen Hayles

By County Press Reporter - Friday, April 18, 2008
STEPHEN Dennis Hayles, an Island man with a passion for the countryside and agriculture, has died, aged 53.
Mr Hayles, known as Steve or Rigger, was born in Calbourne on March 15, 1955, to the late Bill Morrell and Freda McHugh, nee Hayles.
He grew up in Newport and attended school in the West Wight and at Carisbrooke.
After gaining his City and Guilds apprenticeship in agriculture in 1972, Mr Hayles worked as a stockman, tractor driver and land drainage machine operator at farms in Calbourne and Binstead.
He began working for Island Group 90 in 1977 as a road marker, storeman, JCB tractor driver and forklift driver, before learning to drive a coach in 1996 and transferring to Wightbus, the IW Council’s school bus service.
Mr Hayles, who was working at Wightbus at the time of his death, was well liked by the children he drove to and from school.
He had many hobbies and belonged to several clubs. As secretary of the IW Ploughing Association, Mr Hayles enjoyed entering ploughing matches and restoring old farm machinery.
He owned a small plot of land at Wellow, where he would spend many happy hours driving his Ford 5000 tractor.
He was also a keen local historian and motorcycle enthusiast who enjoyed walking, shooting, travelling and photography.
Mr Hayles, twice married and divorced, leaves his five siblings, as well as nieces, nephews and godchildren.
The funeral will be held at 11am on Wednesday, at All Saints’ Church, Calbourne. It will be followed by a private burial at St Michael’s Church, Shalfleet, and a gathering for family and friends at The Countryman pub in Brighstone, to which all are welcome.
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Mr Stephen Hayles

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