A POPULAR teenager, who had a passion for motorbikes, died while doing the thing he loved most - riding his machine.

That was the message from Rev Mike Rogers, assistant curate at St John's Church, Bromsgrove, at the funeral service for Dwain Perks, which was held at Redditch Crematorium last Thursday.

Dwain, aged 17, a former pupil at Catshill middle and North Bromsgrove high schools, died on March 14 after his bike collided with a private ambulance in Rubery.

The funeral was unusual in that at the family's request, the coffin was conveyed from the Stourbridge Road premises of funeral director James Giles and Sons to Redditch in a hand-built fibre glass hearse which was towed by a three-wheel 1,340cc Harley Davidson motor bike.

The firm which supplied the Hog is based in Southend and is believed to be unique in Britain.

According to driver-owner Tony Crathern it was their first visit to this part of the Midlands.

Rev Rogers told a packed congregation, which included many of Dwain's friends, that his sudden and tragic death had been a great shock to everyone

He said apart from his interest in bikes, his cats Spazz and Ash were his other great loves, as was Disney Land in Florida where Dwain had planned to spend his 18th birthday.

During the service, which included tracks from Dwain's favourite bands REM and Linkin Park, his friend Chris Anslow, from Lickey End, paid him a moving tribute.

Dwain's parents Terry and Sandra and other son Karl had lived in Lickey End for some time before moving to Rushock Close, Redditch in 2001.