He enjoyed an illustrious career, shaping national safety standards and transforming the vehicle recovery industry into the respected emergency service it is today.
But Keith Alexander's working life will be remembered for one particular event... helping remove the double decker bus which sank in a hole on Earlham Road.
Mr Alexander, who has died at the age of 82, played a prominent role in the operation to recover the stricken Number 26 Eastern Counties bus after it was swallowed up by a crater created a collapsing chalk mine.
The incident, in 1988, made headlines around the world, with Mr Alexander's involvement highlighted.
Such was his skill, the vehicle was returned to the bus company in one piece.
Born on August 20, 1943, Keith grew up in Mile Cross living with grandparents Albert and Ellen Long on Avonmouth Road.
He attended the Norman School, and spent his childhood exploring the neighbourhood while getting into good-natured mischief with friends.
His entrepreneurial spirit appeared early — from paper rounds to selling odds and ends — and he was always eager to earn a few shillings.
Aged 16, Keith began an apprenticeship at a local garage where he discovered his lifelong passion for mechanics.
Also around this time, he bought his first motorcycle and became a proud “Buttlery Boy” - one of the young men who gathered at the Buttlery Café on the Boundary roundabout – with slicked-back hair and a leather jacket inspired by Elvis Presley.
But a serious motorcycle accident soon after changed Keith’s life, costing him one of his legs.
This challenge came to define his remarkable determination as he learnt to walk again with an artificial leg.
Once on the road to recovery, he returned to the garage industry to continue his training.
Keith’s resilience and optimism became the hallmarks of his life. Hardworking and resourceful, he juggled multiple jobs to provide for his family — repairing cars, selling umbrellas and pans door-to-door, and later going into property repair and renovation with a friend.
From a small garage at his home on Patterson Road, Keith built his thriving business Norfolk Recovery, officially setting up shop in 1970. He was on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Starting with a single Land Rover he modified himself, he soon expanded to larger recoveries, eventually operating a yard on Havers Road.
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He later purchased the old Boulton & Paul steel yard in the early 1980s. The site, with its towering blue crane — topped with a Christmas tree each December — became a local landmark.
Keith took great pride in helping others and was known for mentoring young employees, many of whom went on to start their own successful businesses.
And as a national council member of the Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators, his contributions helped shape national safety standards and professional training.
He also worked closely with the police and fire services, supporting accident responses and taking part in community fundraising and safety demonstrations — including the Inter Services Group.
The group was formed in memory of police constable Robert McLaren, an officer who died in a crash, and these events, often featuring dramatic accident simulations, brought together emergency services across Norfolk and raised money for charity.
But it was his involvement with the “bus in a hole” incident that cemented his position in Norwich’s history.
The double-decker bus was swallowed into a 26ft-deep hole on Earlham Road on March 3, 1988, after the chalk mine, dating from the 11th century, gave way as the driver was pulling away from the stop.
Fortunately, the driver helped all passengers scramble off before the vehicle slipped further into the cavernous pit.
The event itself was later used by Cadbury to promote one of its chocolate bars, with the line "nothing fills a hole like a Double Decker".
It was Keith who received the call to rescue “the bus in a rut”.
At the time he described shifting several tons of red metal – which was balanced on four-inch-thick Tarmac - as not too much of a problem, and claimed the key to it was “perseverance determination and teamwork”.
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Little did he know the story and photograph of the bus would make headlines around the world.
He would go on to have many more adventures during his decades-long career.
He either towed or carried everything from an eight-wheeler and circus trailer containing three elephants to James Bond Lotus cars.
He also once rescued both a digger and a geological survey truck from sinking into thick mud.
After retiring in 2007, Keith enjoyed time at his home in Little Melton and at the villa he built in Paphos, Cyprus.
He loved spending time on his boat, travelling with friends and being with his family.
Even in retirement, he maintained a keen interest in the recovery business, always ready with advice or eager to join in on an “interesting job”.
Despite facing numerous health challenges — including back problems, prostate and oesophagus cancer, and aortic issues — Keith faced each challenge with the same determination that defined his life.
Paying tribute, his family said: “He never used his health as an excuse. He would never be told he could not do something and remained positive and determined all his life.
“He was a hard-working, kind person who made a career of helping others, at all hours.
“He will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.”
Keith Edward Alexander died peacefully at home on October 25, aged 82, surrounded by his friends and family including his partner Marlene Innes, daughter Julie and sons Glenn, Scott and Craig. He was also a grandfather and great-grandfather.
A funeral service will be held at St Catherine’s Church, Mile Cross, at 10am on Wednesday, November 19, followed by a committal service at City Cemetery, Norwich, at 12pm.
Family flowers only and donations, if desired, to the Turner Syndrome Support Society (TSSS) via https://tss.enthuse.com/pf/keith-alexander-1943-2025 or a donation box at the service.
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