Female vintage motorcycle enthusiast found dead with her partner in suspected suicide pact

A vintage motorcycle enthusiast and racer has died in a suspected suicide pact with her partner.

The woman, named locally as Jenny Westwood, was found dead at the home she rented with her partner, understood to be Victoria Williams, who was in her 40s and known as Vicky.

Neighbours in affluent Kenilworth, Warwickshire, told how police, fire and ambulance services attended their rented home – situated in a private lane overlooking paddocks on the edge of the town – on Sunday evening.

It is understood their landlord raised the alarm after failing to hear from the couple for a few days.

Bob Badland, secretary of the Midlands Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC), said Ms Westwood was a valued member and was also part of a 30-strong band of volunteers he managed at the National Motorcycle Museum (NMM) outside Solihull, West Midlands.

Mr Badland said: 'We heard about what had happened on Monday and the news has caused a lot of upset amongst our volunteers.

'Jenny was well-liked. She marshalled for us at the museum and took part in rides organised by VMCC.

'She was very highly thought of – a very nice woman.

'I only met Vicky a few times. She was a nice young woman. Jenny loved her motorcycles but they had other shared interests such as 45 (rpm) records and would come to the museum with Jenny when the record fairs were on.'

Mr Badland said Ms Westwood, who was believed to be in her early 60s, had a passion for the Italian Moto Morini marque. 

He said she also held a racing licence, was a member of the high-IQ society Mensa and described her as a 'very clever woman'.

He said the talented fabricator 'had developed an adjustable tool to use on motorbikes which she was hoping to get marketed', but discovered it would likely 'prove too expensive to produce'.

Mr Badland, the NMM's volunteer coordinator, added: 'We only spoke to her at the museum on Thursday – the volunteers come in every other Thursday to carry out maintenance on the bikes and polish them.  She seemed fine.

'Nobody can understand what's happened. We can't believe the news.'

Warwickshire Police said the deaths of the two women found on Sunday evening were not being treated as suspicious. A file will be passed on to the coroner. 

In a 'race diary' for the June 2024 issue of The Pioneer Motorcyclist, a magazine distributed to members of the Association of Pioneer Motor Cyclists, Ms Westwood described how she ended up in hospital after colliding with the race leader while on a Ducati at Mallory Park in Leicestershire. 

She escaped without broken bones but said she tore ‘every muscle in my left shoulder’ and was unable to drive for seven weeks. 

A resident who lives near the couple's home in Kenilworth said Ms Westwood and Ms Williams moved in around a decade ago and 'came around to introduce themselves'.

The resident added: 'They were the only tenants at that house who have done that.

'They were a lovely couple but were very private, although I knew Jenny raced bikes. 

'They didn't seem troubled, but I think Vicky had health issues, I only really saw her when she was going out with Jenny in Jenny's van.

'It's just so sad.'

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: 'An ambulance and a paramedic officer responded to the incident. 'Sadly, two people were confirmed deceased on scene.'