by Emma Grove

Tributes have been paid to a father from Kent who died after his motorbike was involved in a crash with a road sweeper on the Isle of Man.

Fred Matterface was visiting the TT Races with his son Gary when the accident happened. The 66-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Matterface, who lived at the Hazledene Holiday Park, Eastchurch, was a keen motorcyclist with years of experience.

His neighbour and friend, Malcolm Carter, 63, said it had come as a terrible shock. He said: "Fred was a fantastic bloke and would do anything for anybody. He and I were great mates and he will be sadly missed by a lot of people."

Mr Matterface's daughter Julie said she and her family were devastated at the loss of a "friendly, helpful and loving" father and grandfather.

Mrs Williams, 43, said the news of her father’s death was still raw and had left her "totally shocked".

She said: "It is not like he had a long-term illness and we had time to get used to it, this was a motorbike accident and it is all so sudden. He was very popular with everybody and always had something nice to say about people.

"Everybody in the family is totally shocked and we are all just devastated."

Gary, 45, said: "My dad was a very active, outdoor person and died doing something he loved. He will be greatly missed by everyone."

Mr Matterface’s eight-year-old granddaughter wrote a message in memory of her grandfather.

It read: "Granddad Fred was a good man, he helped everyone and he was great. We will miss his help and kindness but he will go to Heaven and we will remember him greatly."

The dad-of-two, and granddad of four, was a keen motorcyclist who had lived at the holiday park since it opened 20 years ago.

He also leaves sisters Joan and Joyce, grandchildren Perry, Stephanie, and Helena, and step grandchildren Rachel and James.

A spokesman for the Isle of Man Police confirmed officers were called to a collision between a red Honda motorbike ridden by Mr Matterface and a Ford Iveco Scarrab road sweeper owned by the Department of Transport last Wednesday at 3.54pm. The collision is under investigation.