GRIEVING parents Gabriel and Denise Burns told this week how they begged their son to give up his motorbike as they feared for his life.

The funeral of mechanic Declan Burns, 29, who died in a motorcycle accident on the A4 near Cherhill on July 5 will be held today (Thursday) in Marlborough.

His father said: “He only started riding a bike quite recently. He had always been mad keen on cars from when he was very young.

“But he wanted to get a motorbike and nothing we could say would stop. Just a couple of weeks ago we were out in Marlborough together and I had a premonition something bad was going to happen and I asked him again to stop.

“When the police came to our house in the middle of the night I knew immediately what they were going to say.”

Tragically Mrs Burns had already lost a brother aged just 18 in a motorcycle accident.

She described her keep-fit mad son as a cheerful person with lots of friends. She said: “He lived life to the full.

“We would like to thank his friends and the people of Marlborough for their support in our darkest days.”

Mr Burns said that on the evening of the accident their son had been to a bike fair in Bristol with friends and they were riding back together.

He said: “They were altogether as far as Calne then his friends realised he was not with them and thought he had stopped to go to the loo. They tried to ring him but got no answer.”

Declan always wanted to be a mechanic and joined Elm Tree Motor Company in London Road, Marlborough after leaving St John’s School. He was also a former pupil of Preshute primary school. He was very close to his elder brother Michael.

His funeral will be held at 11am tomorrow (Thurs) at St Thomas Moore Roman Catholic Church in Marlborough. Doves will be released in his memory at around 11.30am outside the Church. Donations to Wiltshire Air Ambulance can be made via Claridge Funeral Service, The Parade, Marlborough. SN8 1NE.