AT ABOUT 7.40pm last Thursday, a four vehicle, fatal road traffic collision occurred on the A39 at Summerville Cross, Burs­don Moor near Hartland.

Three motor cycles, a Red Suzuki GSXR 1000cc, a yellow Honda 600F and a black Ducati were travelling along the A39 from the direction of Bude towards Bideford.

Shortly after the Westcountry Inn two of the motor cycles were in collision with a black VW Golf waiting to turn right towards Hartland Golf and Country Club.

The riders of the Honda and Ducati were taken to North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple, with relatively minor injuries and were released after treatment, but the 45-year-old rider of the Suzuki died at the scene. All three motorcyclists were local to the Bideford area.

The rider has been named by police as Kevin Kendall, aged 45 from Bideford.

Kevin and his wife Phillipa had just celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary. He was a doting father to his two sons, Dean and Lee and was looking forward to the birth of his first grandson in October.

In a statement, Kevin's family said he tragically died doing what he loved, and added: "Kevin was hard working and spent many years driving HGVs and latterly for SW Highways. Kevin was the most happiest easiest going person you could ever want to meet and was a great friend to many. The depth of loss of Kevin is huge and will be deeply missing by anyone who knew him."

The driver of the Golf, a 42-year-old woman and her passenger, a 65-year-old woman both from Wilmslow were uninjured.

Any witnesses to the collision or manner of driving or riding of any of the vehicles involved are asked to contact Barnstaple Roads Policing Unit on 08452 777444 quoting log reference number 926/180609.