A MOTORCYCLIST was killed when his 750cc machine collided with a deer which jumped into his path on a quiet country road.

Today the brother of Jeffrey Craig Barsby, 35, paid tribute to the "one in a million" man who was his best friend.

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

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

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.

Mr Barsby was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary after the collision, but pronounced dead on arrival.

Police today warned motorists to be alert in isolated rural roads, particularly in twilight, after one of their vehicles was also involved in a collision with a deer.

Mr Barsby's brother Graeme, 44, of Grasmere Street, Burnley, paid tribute to his best friend and said: "He was a good friend to everybody who knew him. He was very honest and called a spade a spade, a one in a million.

"He lived for his bike, he was such a careful rider and was very safety conscious which is why we can't believe this has happened to him.

"I have been riding since a youngster but I will never get on a bike again because it's just not worth it. If something like this can happen to somebody so careful then I don't want to take the risk."

Jeffrey also leaves behind his girlfriend of 13 years, Donna Copper, 29, and his dearly cherished niece Fay, nine.

His family are awaiting the results of a post mortem examination before arranging the funeral. The deer is also believed to have been killed.

Inspector Russell Morgan, of Lancashire Police, said: "The motorcyclist was driving along a straight country road, when a wild deer jumped over a hedge and into his path.

"The motorcyclist struck the deer and came off his motorcycle. He was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary, but announced dead on arrival."

Inspector Bob Ford, of Clitheroe Police, said one of his vehicles also recently collided with a deer in a country road in Ribble Valley.

He said: "Although the driver was unhurt, the deer was killed.

"Wild deers are very active in the summer and there are a lot of them in Ribble Valley, as with most country areas, at the moment.

"There have even been recent sightings on the A59, particularly late at night, and we are asking motorists to be very careful on rural roads."