CLOSE friends of the cyclist killed while riding on the A14 have today spoken of their grief – and the gap his death will leave in their lives.Michael and Patricia Pragnell, live at The Downs, Rougham, where crash victim Terrance Neeson, lived alone.

CLOSE friends of the cyclist killed while riding on the A14 have today spoken of their grief – and the gap his death will leave in their lives.

Michael and Patricia Pragnell, live at The Downs, Rougham, where crash victim Terrance Neeson, lived alone.

The couple use to have Mr Neeson visit them for dinner every evening and they had become very close friends.

Mrs Pragnell, 54, was cooking a stew for him when she received the phone call to say he was dead.

Mr Pragnell, 58, a shift worker at the Padley poultry factory, Bury St Edmunds, said: "Patricia had taken him under her wing for the past couple of years so we knew him very well.

"He use to come for dinner every evening and Patricia would clean and look after his house.

"She was devastated when she took the call as they had grown very close.

"She was cooking up a big stew for that evening and burst into tears over it.

"He was a quiet man but would do anything for you.

"It's a very big loss for us."

Mr Neeson, known as Terry to Mr and Mrs Pragnell, was killed on Monday when he was cycling at junction 44 on the westbound carriageway of the A14 – the first slip road for Bury St Edmunds.

He was in collision with a Mercedes articulated heavy goods lorry at 7am.

Mr Pragnell said: "He must have been on his way to the seed company where he worked and going by the time of the accident he was probably running late.

"Maybe he was rushing."

It is believed Mr Neeson lived at The Downs for more than ten years and never married.

Another neighbour, Michelle Green, said: "He didn't drive and often when I saw him going out and about he was on his bike.

"We always spoke if we passed in the street and my husband would sometimes give him a lift to the pub or shops.

"This part of Rougham is quiet and most residents will have at least known him by face.

Mr Neeson's death was the 27th on Suffolk's roads this year.

Mrs Green added: "It has got a lot of us talking about the dangers of the road.

"I use it so often and have three young children.

"There's been several times I have been close to having an accident."

What do you think about safety on the A14? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk