THE family and girlfriend of a 38-year-old man who died riding the motorbike he loved have paid tribute to a son and partner who lived life to the full and was "loved by everyone".

Sheryl Beasley, who was planning to marry Dean Peplow next year, said he was her best friend, her light and her life and she had "lost everything".

She said she and Dean, who lived together in Load Street, Bewdley, had been planning to buy a pub and start a family together when he died following a motorbike accident on Sunday afternoon.

He had only bought the black Honda BCR 999cc Fireblade motorbike four days earlier and "was thrilled to bits with it" according to his mother, Noreen, and father, Graham.

The couple, of Park Lane, Bewdley, said they had been inundated with messages from friends of their youngest son, who leaves an 11-year-old daughter, Camille, saying how kind and generous he was.

Describing him as a vivacious, fun-loving person who was well known in Bewdley, where he had lived all his life, they said his death had left a big hole in their lives.

He had been an avid motorbike rider since his teens and had won motocross trophies in his youth.

When his funeral is arranged, his friends plan to pay tribute to his love of bikes by following the funeral procession on a stream of motorcycles.

Noreen said: "He was well loved and we keep hearing what good fun he was."

She said he would be remembered mostly for his sense of fun and kindness and added: "So many people said how and generous kind he was - he'd help anyone at a moment's notice."

Graham said: "Life was never dull when Dean was around."

The former Bewdley High School pupil, who left school at 16 to train as a mechanic, was also a qualified microlight pilot and a regular in Bewdley's Talbot pub, where he met Sheryl, 22, eight months ago.

She said: "Whatever you wanted him to be, he was. He pleased everybody and was my rock, my light and my life ... and I'm absolutely honoured and privileged to have been with him."

She said they had been planning to spend Christmas in Egypt and the rest of their lives together.

"Everybody said that Dean's life had changed since he met me - he'd calmed down. He wanted to settle down and had realised he wasn't invincible. He was happy."

She added: "I've lost everything and, at the moment, there's no light at the end of the tunnel, but I've got a lot of friends who are sticking by me.

"One day I'll snap out of it but at the moment I don't want to ... I just love him and want him back."

Dean's brother, Gary, who runs Handy's Insurance in Stourport, said he would be sadly missed.

Dean died at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham on Sunday, after being airlifted from the accident on the A456 near Little Hereford.

He had been travelling towards Tenbury from the direction of the Salwey Arms when he was in collision with a purple Volvo S40.

Information about funeral arrangements can be obtained by calling undertakers, Edwin Harris, on 01562 822625.