A SUFFOLK motorcyclist who had ridden around the world lost his life after making a mistake on an Essex road, an inquest has heard. Lawrence Jupp was overtaking a car in Tendring, near Clacton, when he lost control of his Yamaha on the wet road.

A SUFFOLK motorcyclist who had ridden around the world lost his life after making a mistake on an Essex road, an inquest has heard.

Lawrence Jupp was overtaking a car in Tendring, near Clacton, when he lost control of his Yamaha on the wet road.

An inquest at Chelmsford Coroner's Court yesterday heard that the 28-year-old from Brantham came off his motorbike which then slid into a recovery lorry coming in the other direction.

The keen traveller, who had returned from a round-the-world tour, was declared dead at the scene following the crash at Heath Road on December 10 last year.

Lorry driver Martin Bird told the inquest he had done everything he could do avoid Mr Jupp, including heading off the road.

The Hedingham Omnibuses employee said: “I was aware of the motorbike overtaking on the wrong side of the road and I tried to get out of the way.

“I went into a ditch to make the gap bigger so he could get through. I saw him look up to see me and saw him put on the power but as he did that, the back wheel went out.

“There was nothing else I could have done, I tried to get out of the way, I did the best I could to leave a big gap.”

Mr Jupp's sister, Madeline Brackley, said to Mr Bird: “You swerved as hard as you could and we really appreciate that.”

And Mr Jupp's dad, Graham, said: “He [Lawrence] made a mistake”.

Pc David Howard, from Essex Police's traffic investigation unit, said there was no evidence of sharp braking and agreed it was possible that Mr Jupp lost control as he tried to accelerate through the gap between the car and the lorry.

He said Mr Jupp had come off his motorbike and slid along behind it before it struck the lorry and he then hit the forks of his own bike.

A post-mortem examination later confirmed Mr Jupp had died from a skull fracture and brain injury - there was no alcohol or drugs in his body.

Essex Coroner Caroline Beasley Murray said Mr Jupp had died as a result of a road traffic accident.

Speaking afterwards, Mrs Brackley said: “Lawrence packed more into 28 years than most people do in a lifetime.”

Mr Jupp was a qualified kayak instructor and studied information technology at Suffolk College in Ipswich and computer studies and artificial intelligence at Sussex University.

He also leaves behind his mother Gill, and another sister, Jane, , who lives in Lowestoft.