A GRIEVING father said a horrific motorbike accident has robbed him not only of an adored son but also a “great friend”.Experienced motorcyclist Matthew Poulson, 25, died when his 600cc Suzuki machine was involved in a collision with a red Vauxhall Astra estate as he attempted to negotiate a bend on the A1092 between Cavendish and Clare on Saturday afternoon.

A GRIEVING father said a horrific motorbike accident has robbed him not only of an adored son but also a “great friend”.

Experienced motorcyclist Matthew Poulson, 25, died when his 600cc Suzuki machine was involved in a collision with a red Vauxhall Astra estate as he attempted to negotiate a bend on the A1092 between Cavendish and Clare on Saturday afternoon.

His devastated parents, Alan and Christine, have been inundated with tributes to the popular biker and yesterday they spoke of their “wonderful son”.

Mr and Mrs Poulson said their son's death had left a huge whole in their lives and praised his dedication to the Jehovah's Witness faith.

“First and foremost Matthew was a Jehovah's Witness and was very proud of his faith. We went to the local congregation in Sudbury three-times a week. It was something he took very seriously and only ever missed the meetings if he was ill,” his father said.

The motorbike enthusiast lived most of his life with his parents at their Tudor Road home in Sudbury. He enjoyed an “extremely” close relationship with his older brother Paul, 28, and was best man at his wedding in 1999.

He was educated at Woodhall Primary, Uplands Middle and Sudbury Uppers schools. Since leaving school he had worked as an administrator for Sudbury firm A and B Glass.

His parents said he was a huge motorcycle fan and owned two machines. He was regarded as an experienced and sensible rider, who had qualified by taking all the relevant tests. He also participated in track day events and off-road biking.

His father said: “He was always interested in motorbikes and was a very experienced rider. Anybody who ever rode with him said he was always very sensible and was never led by other riders. That is why we are finding it so hard to understand what happened, because he was always very cautious and was a sensible and level-headed lad.

“He was a lovely person, everybody who knew Matthew thought highly of him. We shared the same interests and he was more than a son to me, he was also a great friend.”

Mr Poulson was also a keen sportsman and enjoyed playing squash, golf and skiing. He was a member of the Yellow Dot Sports Club in Sudbury, and often enjoyed a game of golf and squash with his father. He also played both the guitar and the flute.

His mother Christine, said: “We are all going to miss him so much because we always did everything together as a family. He was very close to his brother and Paul says he is just going to miss him so much. He was the perfect son, a wonderful boy.

“Since his death so many people have contacted us, even people we don't know, to say what a lovely, genuine person he was.”

Mr Poulson's funeral will be held at the West Suffolk Crematorium on Monday, February 2, followed by a service at the Kingdom Hall, Station Road, Sudbury, starting at midday.

Highways bosses are carrying out a major assessment of safety on the stretch of road where Mr Poulson was killed. The study is being carried out as part of Suffolk County Council's drive to reduce the number of deaths on the county's roads.

Police are appealing for anyone with information about the accident, which happened at around 3.15pm, to contact Pc Yvette Arondel on 01284 774153. The driver of the car involved was not badly hurt.