Father of two dies in motorbike crash

By [lghose]

THE father of two young children was killed when his motorcycle was involved in a collision on the A30 at East Stour on Thursday.

Stonemason Antony Chris Denman, aged 44, of King's Stag was riding a Suzuki towards Shaftesbury when it was in collision with a Toyota Yaris travelling in the opposite direction at around 8.50pm.

Mr Denman suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester by police helicopter. He was declared dead shortly after his arrival there.

The driver of the Toyota, a 47-year-old man from Sherborne, received slight injuries.

An inquest into Mr Denman's death was opened and adjourned by the West Dorset Coroner at Blandford on Monday.

Mr Denman's son is a pupil in the reception class at Hazelbury Bryan Primary School, where spokesman Jane Abel said: "Although this was only Mr Denman's first year as a parent of our school, the news of his death came as a huge shock to the closely knit school community.

"Parents of his son's class were deeply affected because so many of them had known him since their own childhood years.

"He was extremely popular, always cheerful and well known throughout the local community.

"He was a most generous and supportive parent, making a real difference to the life of the school and, in particular, to the newly created kitchen garden within the school grounds.

"In our sadness we can only support his son and family as we prepare for his daughter to enter our pre-school in September."

Police have appealed for witnesses to the collision to call PC Simon Fairholm of Blandford traffic unit on 01305 222222.