A Shropshire motorcyclist who died in a road smash in Cheshire was a father of three from Madeley in Telford.

Stephen Perkin, 54, of Ironbridge Road, died when his motorbike was in collision with a car on the outskirts of Crewe on Saturday afternoon. Today devastated work colleagues at Horsehay-based SP Holding paid tribute, describing him as a “lovely guy”.

His wife of nine years, Tina, who today was being comforted at her home by her father, was too upset to talk about the tragedy.

Mr Perkin had three grown-up children from a previous relationship.

Mrs Tracey Holding, company director at waste removal and drainage specialists SP Holding, said Mr Perkin had been in Cheshire visiting his mother when the accident happened.

She said: “We won a business of the year award on Friday and we were so absolutely on a high the whole weekend. Then we had the devastating news on Sunday afternoon.”

Mrs Holding said they held a meeting yesterday morning to inform staff of the death of Mr Perkin, nicknamed Perky.

“He was a lovely guy. He used to have his own business before he started to work for us but he was great, always very, very reliable. He worked well with the other staff. We just can’t believe he has gone,” she added.

“He was a drainage engineer and worked on jetting vans and our camera van. He used to do a lot of the work for us on behalf of Wrekin Housing Trust, Telford & Wrekin Council and Severn Trent Water.”

Mrs Holding said Mr Perkin loved scuba diving, motorbikes and keeping chickens. He had also bought property in Italy, which he had finished refurbishing 12 to 18 months ago.

“He will be sadly missed by us all,” she added.

The accident happened at the junction of Broughton Road and Parker’s Road on the outskirts of Crewe.

Mr Perkin was travelling along Broughton Road on his Triumph bike while the other vehicle, a Toyota Yaris, was travelling along Parker’s Road. The 44-year-old woman driver, from Sandbach, Cheshire, suffered slight injuries. Mr Perkin was pronounced dead at the scene.

By Lisa Rowley