THE father of a 20-year-old killed in a road crash said he has not only lost his son - but his best friend too.

Mo Frederick Watts, of Bernwell Road in Chingford, was returning home after visiting his mum when his motorbike collided with a van in Hatch Lane, Chingford.

His dad, Marne Watts, 53, said the popular undergraduate was desperately missed by all his family and friends.

He said: “As sons go, he was the best you could have had. The most fantastic and caring person. Loyalty, love and respect were how he lived his life.

“We were all so close and me and him had a special bond. In retrospect I feel like the reason why was because I wasn't going to have long with him. I have lost my best mate and my son.”

The former former Heathcote Secondary School pupil was studying aerospace engineering at the University of Hertfordshire and Mr Watts Snr, a builder, spoke proudly as he explained that his son was the first in the family to go to university.

He said: “I wanted him to have a good life, it was a dream of mine and he was on his way and then this happened.”

Mr Watts Snr said his son's main passions in life were his girlfriend, 18-year-old Samantha Capiro, and his motorbike.

He said that since he got his first motorbike aged 18 he had taught himself many skills and loved repairing them.

Mr Watts Snr had been in Chingford last Friday morning when he heard on the radio that Hatch Lane was closed because of an accident.

He said Linda then called him on his mobile and was screaming down the phone, so he rushed to the scene, which was cordoned off by police.

He said: “I told a policeman my son has been involved in the accident. I told him he had been on a motorbike. The policeman then said, “I'm sorry I can't tell you what's happened”. I knew then he was gone.”

Mr Watts' motorcycle was in collision with a van in Hatch Lane on Friday at 11.10am and he died at the scene.

A post mortem held on Tuesday found Mr Watts died of internal injuries.

A funeral will take place on Friday, September 4, at 11.30am at SS Peter and Paul, The Green Walk, Chingford.