THE family of a teenage motorcyclist killed in a crash say they have still not come to terms with his death as they prepare for their first Christmas without him.

Carl Cocks died after his motorcycle was involved in a collision at Callow End in June. He was 19.

His mother Mandy said the family would be gathering at her home in Lansdowne Close on Christmas Day to celebrate his life.

“We are all finding it extremely difficult to focus on Christmas, because Carl should have been here to celebrate with us,” she said. “He was a very special son, brother and friend to all of us, and always will be.

“There is not a day that passes I don’t have a tear in my eye. It is very important that (Carl’s siblings) Andrew, Lea-Ann, Stephen and Nicky are with me on Christmas Day.”

Carl’s sister Lea-Ann said her brother was always a huge fan of Christmas and that the family had hoped to put decorations up in his memory in Callow End. However, they have not been able to because of the severe winter weather.

“Carl was always a great lover of Christmas, and he was absolutely in his element in the snow,” she said.

“Last year he was out there in it every single day. Christmas is never going to be the same without him.

“We have still not even begun to come to terms with what has happened this year. Carl is the first thing that we think about in the morning and the last thing that we think about at night.” The family all agree that the support of friends and people who knew Carl has been one of the things that has kept them going over the past six months.

More than 400 people attended his funeral, and about 250 took part in a ‘cruise’ through Malvern, Callow end and Worcester in tribute to him. Mrs Cocks said: “I would like to thank everyone for their kind messages and the cards that have been sent to us, and for all the support we have received from friends and family. Everyone has been brilliant.”