HUNDREDS of friends are expected to attend the funeral of a motorcyclist killed when his bike hit a deer that jumped into his path on a quiet country road.

Jeffrey Craig Barsby, 35, of Higher Causeway, Barrowford, was returning from an organised trip to the Lakes with a group of fellow bikers when his 750cc Kawasaki collided with the deer.

A friend who was riding with him before he died, Neil Demaline, director of Ralph Lowther's Motorcycles, Burnley Road, Brierfield, paid tribute to "one of the world's nicest men."

The accident occurred at 5.40pm on Sunday in the isolated Whitewell Road, Cow Ark, near the Trough of Bowland.

Neil told how is life has been enriched by knowing Jeffrey. He said: "I had been out riding with him in the Lakes and took a wrong turn so I lost him.

"It was a freak accident that happened in a split second - I am still in shock. He was such a genuine person. He called a spade a spade and that was the way it was with Jeff. He had so many friends who thought the world of him. The phone has not stopped ringing all morning. One customer is even cutting his holiday short so he can be back in time for the funeral.

"We were looking forward to taking him on full-time here. He had been helping out and knew everything there is to know about bikes. He loved his bike, it took him six hours to clean. He even used cotton buds to make sure everywhere was immaculate.

"We are planning on doing something special at his funeral but want to speak to his parents first to find out what they want."

Mr Barsby, who learned to ride a moped when he was just six years old, was also a keen fisherman and a Barrowford Anglers member for around 20 years.

The former Primet High School pupil lived with his parents Syd, 72, and Irene, 68, after being made redundant last year from Phoenix Wall Coverings, Colne, where he worked as a printer.

He was looking forward to starting full-time employment at Ralph Lowther's. His family are awaiting the results of a post mortem examination before arranging the funeral.