Shivon Watson bike
Shivon Watson's 'ghost bike' will have to be removed, says Hackney Council.

The 'ghost bike' left at an east London roundabout in memory of a singer killed three years ago will have to be moved, on the instructions of the local council.

Hackney Council fastened a removal order to the bike, which honours the memory of 28-year-old Shivon Watson, who was crushed by a skip lorry on the Victoria Park Road roundabout in March 2010.

Watson, originally from Bristol, performed with the likes of Roni Size during her fleeting career, and also earned acclaim as a fashion designer and charity worker.

Reacting to the removal order, Watson's mother Annette Darch said only one complaint had been lodged about the bike, and no one at the council had contacted her about it.

She told the Evening Standard: "We heard rumours that it might be taken away when we went up for the anniversary but everyone around there is happy for it to stay. Just one person complained apparently.

"They should not do it [remove the bike]. And it would be nice to be consulted."

A council spokesperson told IBTimes UK: "Laying tributes at the site of a fatal incident can be an important part of the grieving process for the bereaved and we recognise that this is a sensitive issue.

"In practice we only seek to remove temporary memorials where we have received complaints from members of the public, as in this case, or where memorials are not maintained or pose a risk to safety.

"Although the seven-day notice period has expired, we will not remove the memorial until we have discussed this with the family."

'A huge personality and heart'

Watson died when a lorry crushed her against a fence during the morning rush-hour. Both the bike and lorry were turning left at the time.

A charity bike ride was organised by local cyclists in the days after Watson's death, and friends are creating a memorial garden for the young performer on the Bristol-to-Bath cycle path.

Following Watson's death, her mother said: "She was just a beautiful girl. She had such a huge personality and heart. She was so well-loved and so talented. Singing was her life.

"She was such a creative person - she designed her own clothes, travelled the world - she was so full of life. It is devastating."

London