Tributes have been made to a champion classic motorcycle racer who died in Belgium last month.

Clive Ling came off his motorcycle at the prestigious Open Trophy competition on the Chimay street circuit in Wallonia.

The father-of-two has been described by his friends as a much-loved, high achieving and active person.

Mr Ling, 52, was identified by his wife of 12 years at the Belgian circuit on July 28.

He was a regular front-runner with the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club (CRMC), a GP Originals rider, and had raced at Goodwood racing circuit.

A former racer and friend of Mr Ling, Vince Gedge, said: 'I'd known Clive for 20 years.

'Clive was massively into racing, he gave everything to it, but he also did triathlon and was a really strong swimmer.

'It's such a waste.'

Mr Ling worked for almost three decades as a sheet metal worker for Attleborough company Competition Fabrications, where he made and restored owner race cars and motorcycles and parts.

Nick Parravani, of Rockland St Peter, ran the company until his retirement. He said: 'Clive joined Competition Fabrications in about 1990.

'He was a good friend and colleague and a lovely bloke, and did lots of other things besides motorcycle racing.

'It was devastating to hear about of course. He was known by so many people, both from his work and locally.

'It came as a great shock.'

Mr Gedge, of Reymerston, said: 'Clive could make a motorbike tank. He could make anything and weld anything.

'He was just an amazing talent at making stuff.

'What I liked about Clive was he was the happiest person I ever met. He was always smiling, and so positive all the time.

'He was a lovely man.'

Mr Ling lived in the village of Hardwick, near Long Stratton, for the majority of his life, and was a parish councillor at the time of his death.

Mr Gedge said: 'You don't expect someone to die when they go out to do their hobby at the weekend, you expect them to come back.'

At an inquest on August 15 at Norfolk Coroner's Court, senior coroner Jacqueline Lake said the medical cause of death was 'mortal injuries due to a motorcycle collision'.