By Ted JeoryAN adoring mother paid tribute last night to her "beautiful, fun-loving" son who was killed in a motorbike accident.Julie Meadows said she was "devastated beyond belief" after learning of the death of her 21-year-old son Carl, who died near Great Oakley, on Saturday afternoon.

By Ted Jeory

AN adoring mother paid tribute last night to her "beautiful, fun-loving" son who was killed in a motorbike accident.

Julie Meadows said she was "devastated beyond belief" after learning of the death of her 21-year-old son Carl, who died near Great Oakley, on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Meadows, of Love Way, Clacton, had been riding at the back of a three-bike convoy with two of his closest friends, Richard Barlow and Martyn Dellow, when the accident happened on the B1414, near Oak Corner, at about 1pm.

It is believed Mr Meadows died when he was thrown from his motorbike after overtaking a car on the country lane.

His grieving mother said her telephone had not stopped ringing, with her son's many friends calling to pay their respects to the former Colbayns School student.

Mrs Meadows had just returned to her mother's house on Saturday afternoon in celebratory mood after watching Ipswich Town beat West Ham in the play-off semi-final at Portman Road when the police arrived to break the news of her son's death.

She said: "He was on such an up as well. He had just started his own double-glazing business and that was going well for him.

"He was deeply in love with Angela, whom he'd been seeing for three years, and he had all the friends in the world with everything to live for.

"He was always keen on cars and bikes. I didn't want him to get one because it's every mother's fear, but that's what he wanted to do and he was happy buying it."

Mrs Meadows, also of Love Way, Clacton, added: "I came back from the football with my dad and there were all these police there.

"It didn't cross my mind that it would be anything to do with me, so I just wound the window down and asked what happened – that's when they said they needed to speak to me.

"We're all absolutely devastated by it, but so many people have said so many nice things about him and that's helped.

"To me he was my rock – he was a joker, cheeky, fun-loving and such a perfectionist. He lived life to the full."

Mr Barlow, who was riding ahead of Mr Meadows at the time, said: "He was in brilliant spirits on Saturday – such a good mood and loving it.

"We went on ahead of him, but he never caught up, so we went back and saw these cars had stopped and Carl just lying there under some bushes – it'll never leave me."

Mr Meadows, who along with the other two riders had just overtaken a grey Volkswagen car, was declared dead at the scene. He leaves a sister, Hayley, 19, and a brother, Ashley, 15.

Anyone with information about the accident should contact Stanway traffic police on 01206 762512.

ted.jeory@eadt.co.uk