Record-breaking Hillclimb driver Rob Barksfield from Corfe Mullen has died after a motorcycle accident in France.

The 46-year-old telecommunications specialist was returning with a friend from a three-day BMW Motorcycle training course at the Nurburgring in Germany when his bike suddenly veered off the road and hit the central reservation on the A26 while heading for Calais.

He died instantly from a broken neck.

An advanced motorcycle rider he had scored top marks for a newcomer at the training course from which he was returning.

The Bournemouth corner has opened and adjourned an inquest and is liaising with the French authorities to determine the cause of the mystery accident.

His funeral took place on Tuesday at Poole Crematorium and was attended by many friends from the world of Hillclimb racing.

He leaves a wife Sue who has suffered a double bereavement after her best friend died from throat cancer just three weeks ago.

Mr Barksfield had recently resigned from his senior management position in a telecommunications company and was planning to take several months off touring with his wife before deciding his future which he wanted to devote more time to his hobbies.

A long time Hillclimb competitor at Gurston Down near Salisbury, Mr Barksfield retired from motorsport in 2005, by was still a committee member of the British Automobile Racing Club's South West centre, which runs Gurston Down.

A year before quitting racing he set the 1100cc racing car class record (one that still stands today) in his ultra-lightweight, Suzuki motorcycle engined PCD Saxon which he helped to design and develop in conjunction with ex-Team Lotus Formula 1 chief designer Martin Ogilvie.

It was after he set this record on July 18 2004 that he proposed to Sue, his long time partner.

One of his closest friends was fellow Hillclimber and freelance motorsport correspondent Simon McBeath from Blandford who also competed at Gurston Down and was among those who remember that Mr Barksfield was always the first to offer other drivers help and assistance if their cars hit problems.

"He was not only generous with his time with so many people who became his friends, but also in sharing his knowledge and, in my case, sharing a possession as valuable as his own racing car.

"He was also one to thoroughly embrace technology in many forms.

"I made fun of him by calling him the Gizmo Kid' on many occasions, but he was never shy of using technology to his benefit, at work, home or at play'.

"But for all his knowledge and technical abilities, Rob was one of the least pretentious people I have ever met."