'Dracula' rides through Transylvania

A BRITISH man dressed as Dracula has just completed a bizarre road trip through historical Transylvania, riding a classic Ural motorbike fitted with a coffin as a sidecar.

Nick Cunningham, 47, has just completed the ghoulishly good three-day journey along some of Europe’s best roads and scenery.

And as if Dracula wasn’t enough for the locals to cope with, Nick’s companion for the trip, six-foot-four Nick Jackson, was dressed as Frankenstein’s Monster.

The Halloween-themed road trip came about after Nick Cunningham submitted the idea to motorcycle insurance company Bennetts, as part of its Biking Dreams scheme that grants all kinds of wishes to riders all over the country.

The father of two, whose Prince of Darkness outfit was unfortunately covered up while he was on the bike, rode along the Transfagarasan Highway and visited hotspots like Bran Castle, immortalised in Bram Stoker’s novel as Dracula’s home.

Nick, who as a youngster idolised Christopher Lee’s portrayal of the iconic vampire character, came up with the idea as his way of coping with a mid-life crisis.

“My life had become a routine of childcare, work and more childcare,” he said on his return to Britain.

“I hit the crisis moment where I just needed to break out of a routine and do something completely off the wall!

“It has been brilliant to escape the humdrum of London and to motorcycle into the mystical world of Transylvania. My wife thinks I’m nuts but was only too happy to let me go and live out my dream.”

Bennetts Biking Dreams is open to everyone; even non-riders. Submitting a bike-related idea is simple via the scheme’s dedicated website, and so far hundreds of people have had wishes granted.

By Press Association reporter