WHOISBILLBYISHOP?
Although not his given name, 'Billy;as he is known in the trials community, may be down to one oftwo possibilities."billwestward,bishopof Peterborough at the time was apparently called Billyand that's why Igave him the name;' claims well known South Midland trials rider and motorcycle dealer John Lee. However,having started schoolboy trials in the South Midlandcentre in 1978at the age of 10,the most likely reason is that his father was also named Billyand known to other dads who spent their Sundays dragging TY80S out of sections back in the day, hence little Billybishop. A professional firefighter since 1989 he has zero engineering background. Billyhas dipped in and out of trialsfor40 years but willbe the firstto point out that in allthose years he has never reallywon anything. "Keepsme happy, really"he says"i don't have to retire and go home with a lame excuse if get a five:' But'billy'is perhaps better known in the deep sea diving community under his real name Leigh,he has explored, filmed and photographed the most famous deep shipwrecks in the world. He has written extensively on the subject, lectures globally and often crops up on the odd television documentary, with his first book due to be published soon.