by Lynn Cox

EXCLUSIVE

Andrea Hastilow was gardening at home in Rainham when the phone rang with news that shattered her world.

The 54-year-old's second husband Steve took the call that her son Sean Turner had been killed in a horror bike crash in Perth, Western Australia.

She went inside her home, in Lyall Close, to hear the terrible news on Saturday afternoon that her "little boy", 25, was dead.

Andrea said: "Steve told me Sean had been in a motorbike accident. I asked if he was all right and he just said, 'he's gone'.

"It was a happy day before I got the news. I was gardening but then I heard the worst thing I have ever heard - I could not believe it.

"It was terrible. I was in shock and it's all been a bit of a blur since then.

"I never thought I'd hear that news, that my little boy had died. I never thought it was something that would happen to me or my family."

She spoke before making the heartbreaking journey yesterday to Australia for her son's funeral.

Sean, who grew up in Rainham but moved to Australia when he was 18, was killed instantly when his bike collided with a four-wheel drive vehicle at 12.30pm British time.

His pillion passenger - one of his best friends, Jamie Andrews - survived and is in a critical, but stable, condition in hospital.

Sean, who had a love for motorbikes, had only bought the bike on which he was killed on April 19.

The former pupil at the Howard School, in Gillingham, moved to Australia after his father John, who lives there, said he would sponsor him for a year.

During his first year Down Under, Sean worked in engineering and as a labourer.

He applied for residency and got another job in a mobile phone shop before buying himself a house where he lived with his girlfriend Jenna.

Sean's heartbroken sister Tania Harvey, 28, said: "He was really excited. It was a huge adventure for him and he loved it so much he didn't want to come back.

"Sean loved everything about Australia - the people, the weather, how relaxed it was and he was even learning to fly.

"He loved doing his flying lessons and had always wanted to be a pilot. He was so excited about it."

During his time in Australia, Sean only returned to Britain once - to give his sister away at her wedding to Orrin Harvey in July last year in Northern Ireland.

Tania said: "Sean was my best friend and he was so proud of me. He told me I looked amazing and how proud he was to be giving me away.

"He fixed my veil before I went in and he made sure I was OK. He giggled the whole time - he was perfect. He was my best friend, a cheeky chappie who was larger than life. Everyone who met him loved him and I will miss him so much - we all will."

Did you know Sean? Leave your comments below.