The friend of a teenager who died in a crash is planning a fitting tribute to the motorbike enthusiast by organising a ‘ride out’ in memory of the man he described as the "brother I never had".

Hadleigh man Tommy Parson is hoping to get a group of bikers together to take part in the event, which will be held to coincide with the funeral of Marley Kline, 18, who died in a collision on the A120 on March 27.

So far, the father-of-three has had interest from 70 people in the trip on May 11 when the funeral service for Mr Kline is due to take place at St Mary’s Church in Hadleigh, followed by a burial at the cemetery in Coram Street, Hadleigh.

The group will initially attend both the service and burial before setting off on a wider journey around Hadleigh, Sudbury and Ipswich.

Mr Parson said he had got to know Mr Kline through their shared love of bikes shortly after he moved to Hadleigh from Ipswich.

He added: “From a very young age, he got into MX Motocross. He had always been involved with motocross and his family are big biker people. For most of his life, he was obsessed with motocross.”

The ride out will start from outside R Gwinnell and Sons funeral directors in Hadleigh High Street at 10.40am before the funeral at 11am.

Father-of-three Mr Parson, 25, said he had been struggling since he heard the news of the death of his friend, who was a chef at a care home.

He added: “It has been absolutely shattering. When I first moved up here, he was one of the first people I met and I have got to know quite a few people because of him.

“I have not felt the best since I heard the news of his death, to be honest. It has been hard.”

Mr Kline, a father-of-one, was riding a quad bike which was involved in a collision on the Colchester-bound carriageway at Great Bromley at 12.30pm.

To take part in the event, visit https://www.facebook.com/esvents/1645234759176727