A devoted husband was killed when an unnecessary overreaction from an oncoming driver knocked him off his motorcycle, an inquest heard.

Yesterday Edward Burton's wife, Diane, said he was a 'kind, gentle, loving and friendly man with a wicked sense of humour'.

Mr Burton of School Lane, Bracon Ash, was riding towards Cromer on the A140 near Aylsham on August 8, 2010, when he overtook three vehicles and pulled back in to his lane.

Seeing Mr Burton, the driver of an oncoming car, Roy Wilson, mounted the grass verge at the side of the road before spinning back across the carriageway and into Mr Burton's bike, inflicting fatal injuries. At an inquest in Norwich yesterday, Norfolk coroner William Armstrong said Mr Burton, 45, had done nothing wrong and he was 'a safe, and responsible motorcyclist'.

Mr Armstrong, who recorded a verdict that Mr Burton died as a result of a road traffic collision, said: 'The collision occurred because of Mr Wilson losing control of his vehicle. The responsibility for what happened lies entirely with Mr Wilson.' Mr Wilson pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and in November was sentenced to 240 hours of unpaid work and given a two-year driving ban.

Mrs Burton said: 'Ed will always be remembered with so much love and affection not only because of those achievements but also simply because of the sunny smile he always wore, his cheerful demeanour and the ability to make people happy.' She added her husband, a keen athletics and motorsport fan, was respected for his work as a trustee of the Freemen of Norwich and as managing director of his own business.

She said: 'I am a better person for having known Ed. I learned so much from him: everyone did.

'He was, and will always be a very special person. We were devoted to each other.'

She said the inquest had brought her some comfort, adding: 'Now the world knows that Ed was not at fault.'