Liz Coates GRIEVING friends and neighbours of a young man killed close to his family home paid tribute this week to his “cheerful smile.”Messages left at the crash scene on the corner of Prince of Wales Road and Norwich Road in Caister spoke of “a polite and lovely young boy taken too soon and so much to live for.

Liz Coates

GRIEVING friends and neighbours of a young man killed close to his family home paid tribute this week to his “cheerful smile.”

Messages left at the crash scene on the corner of Prince of Wales Road and Norwich Road in Caister spoke of “a polite and lovely young boy taken too soon and so much to live for.”

The young moped rider's death on Tuesday morning following a collision with a bus has come as an enormous shock to people in the village.

At the time of going to press, police had yet to officially name the victim but he is understood to be Matthew Eckett, a 17-year-old engineering student at Great Yarmouth College, who lived in Prince of Wales Road.

Known to his friends as Matty, it is believed he was on his way to college.

Best friend Jason Shreeve paid tribute to Matty yesterday saying he was a “popular lad” who will be “really missed”.

“He was quiet and liked fishing,” he said.

The pair became friends while at Caister High School. Jason said Matty, who has a younger brother, had moved to the area from London about five years ago.

Jason, also 17 and a student at East Norfolk Sixth Form College in Gorleston, said the pair did “everything together.”

Dozens of flowers were placed at the scene this week, many with touching messages from people who knew him and strangers whose hearts went out to the family.

The busy route was closed for three and half hours while police carried out an investigation. The driver of the First bus was unhurt following the collision which happened at around 8.05am, at the height of the rush hour and while many mums were walking children to school, anxious to shield them from the tragedy.

Three fire engines attended the scene.

The bus was carrying pupils to Flegg High School and they were said to be unhurt but distraught. They have been offered counselling by staff and teachers at the school in Martham.

Tim Phillips, deputy head, said: “As a result of the incident we co-ordinated a response to ensure the pupils on the bus were comforted and supported by staff and peer supporters at the school.

“We would like to extend our thoughts and sympathies to the motorcyclist's family.”

Caister Parish Council chairman Tony Overill said there had been calls to stop big buses going through the estate following the death of a young boy on a pedal cycle around four years ago.

And one of the messages left in memory of Matty stated it was a “high price to pay for a bus we did not want.”

Mr Overill said: “This is the second fatality and this was only about 150 yards from where the last one happened. When that bus route was inaugurated they were running things called the banana buses which were much smaller. I am going to take it up with the chair of our road safety committee.”

Gussy Alamein, of First Eastern Counties said in a statement: “May I express my deepest sympathies to the family of the deceased.

“At this stage it is too early to say what caused the accident but we are giving every assistance to the emergency services as they carry out their investigation.”

Anyone who witnessed the accident should contact Acle road policing unit on 0845 4564567.