Scooter accident claims Kiwi's life

Ben Penny and his girlfriend of eight years, Katie Maclardy. Photo / Supplied

A New Zealander has died after a scooter accident while holidaying in Greece.

Hundreds of Ben Penny's friends are paying tribute to him on Facebook, after the 31-year-old died in Athens Hospital. He had been in Greece with his girlfriend of eight years, Katie Maclardy.

The couple had been living in London for about two years.

Maclardy's mother, Mary, said Penny died of massive head injuries.

Both families were too distraught to comment further but it is understood Penny was riding on the back of the scooter when he fell off sometime in late August.

He died in an Athens Hospital on September 11 but friends posted emotional messages of support on a specially formed Facebook page from as early as August 31.

The Facebook site, called "The Wookster" after Ben's nickname, had 409 members by Friday.

One friend, Rowan James, wrote that Penny had a "wonderful spirit, a welcoming personality, a huge heart, and energy to burn".

John Calder knew Penny since he was about 14.

A musical man who loved playing the bass, Penny was a DJ in London but had also worked on tuna boats in the United States.

"He was a really awesome guy. He didn't let the grass grow under his feet," said Calder.

Michael McLachlan described his mate as "a great man, of very rare quality, that I will so dearly miss ..."

Alice Foley wrote about the joy of meeting Penny on a trip to London last year and said: "Dear Wookie where ever you are out there in the universe ... This is so heartbreaking for me to write, knowing that I won't meet you in physical form again ...

"What hurts the most is knowing how much you will be so so missed by all of those who loved you."

The Facebook page was also flooded with 300 photos posted by his friends.

In her own touching tribute in the newspaper notices Katie described Penny as "my heart, my soul and my everything" before adding, "You have shaped me to be the person I am today and I loved every single part of it and thank you."

Penny's life was celebrated in Whitianga yesterday.