EMOTIONAL tributes have been paid to the motorcyclist who died following a crash in Dorchester.

The 23-year-old local man, who has been named locally as Steven Lavis, has been described as a hard working 'loveable rogue' who would do anything for anyone.

Mr Lavis died following a collision with a Peugeot people carrier, being driven by a 47-year-old man from Dorchester, at the junction on Windsor Road and Cambridge Road at 8.30pm last night.

He came off his bike and then collided with a parked car.

The emergency services were called and Mr Lavis was given medical attention at the scene.

He was then taken to hospital but died of his injuries.

Mr Lavis' cousin, Simon Jeff, said: “Steven was just a young lad who had his whole life ahead of him.

“I was waiting for him at the shop when the accident happened, and also went to the hospital with him on Tuesday night.

“He was a man so well known in Dorchester because he was born and had grown up here, he will certainly be missed by everyone.”

One friend of Mr Lavis and a Windsor road resident, who did not wish to be named, said he had known him for more than five years.

He added: “The sad thing is for me he had only recently got offered his motorcycle and he offered it to me first of all.

I can't stop thinking if I had bought it then none of this would have happened; I'm still in shock.

“Steve was incredibly well known in the community and would do anything for anyone; a couple moved in nearby just a few weeks ago and he helped them move in.”

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said he performed CPR on Mr Lavis while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

He said: “I have known Steve since he was 14, he was incredibly well known throughout Dorchester and a real loveable rogue character.

“While performing CPR I could see there was no response from him but I wanted to do what I could to help.”

Chris Larder, 17, said this has been the second fatal accident in Windsor Road in the last two years.

He added that he knew Mr Lavis because his cousins are a similar age.

He said: “My dad's Ford car was the one Steven collided with after hitting the people carrier - it has been taken for police evidence.

“Steven only had the motorcycle less than a week; he was such a popular man who was always up for a laugh.”

A police spokesman said: “We are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal road traffic collision that occurred in Dorchester, on Windsor Road at its junction with Cambridge Road.

“A motorcycle travelling north ridden by a 23-year-old local man collided with a Peugeot people carrier driven by a “47-year-old local man - causing the motorcyclist to come off his vehicle and further collide with a parked Ford vehicle in the road.

"We would like to thank residents and members of the public for their patience while a full forensic investigation took place."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

 

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