An inquest heard that a motorcylist died when he lost control of his bike.

Stephen Buxton, 46, from Larchwood Close, Lingwood, was travelling to Sea Palling in convoy with a group of about 30 other bikers when his bike left the road on June 30 last year.

Yesterday's Norwich inquest heard that the bike ended up in a ditch and Mr Buxton was thrown clear, hitting a tree.

The air ambulance attended the scene in Palling Road, Ingham, but Mr Buxton was pronounced dead at the scene.

Collision investigator PC Forbes Scott told the inquest that Mr Buxton had, for an unknown reason, failed to negotiate a right hand bend.

He said that Mr Buxton had consumed alcohol but was below the legal drink-drive limit. However, he said it might have impaired his judgement.

Witnesses said that members of the Sunday motorbike club had met up in Rackheath before heading to Stalham and then on to the coast.

Bikers travelling behind Mr Buxton, a construction engineer for May Gurney, said he was an experienced rider and they could not explain why he had lost control of his bike.

They described seeing his bike 'standing up straight' before veering off the road into a ditch.

Yvonne Blake, assistant coroner for Norfolk, concluded that Mr Buxton died from multiple chest injuries sustained in a road traffic collision.

Mr Buxton's partner, Gemma Payne, who lived with him in Lingwood, said afterwards: 'Steve is the love of my life and we had a wonderful life together; he was taken far too soon. I love him more than anything in the world; he was loved by so many people and he was so popular.'

Mr Buxton had two children, Tom and Daniel from a previous relationship.