IT was a final farewell of which any biker would have been proud.

A cavalcade of about 35 powerful bikes, ridden by leather-clad bikers, paid an impressive tribute to their friend Gerry Fenwick- White who died recently in a motorcycle crash.

The 38-year-old was a lecturer in performing arts at Huddersfield Technical College.

Staff and students packed the sides of New North Road, some holding hands, others comforting one another, some in tears.

Mr Fenwick-White's body was carried in a specially-adapted motorcycle sidecar and, as the coffin passed, the onlookers broke into a round of spontaneous applause.

The motorcyclists sounded their horns before firing up their engines and setting off for one last ride with their friend.

The procession made its way along Halifax Road to Huddersfield Crematorium at Fixby.

Mr Fenwick-White was one of the co-founders of the college's Staff Motorcycle Club, which started last June.

Fellow members who helped establish the club paid emotional tributes to him.

Nicola Miller, from Bradford, said: "It's just fantastic so many people came to support him and support Fliss, his wife."

Mark Broadfield, who also lectures at the college, said he deserved this sort of send off. He added: "Gerry was a fantastic bloke. He was always smiling and a good laugh. It's a sad day."

Fellow club member Andrew Butterworth, from Holmfirth, said: "I got to know Gerry through the motorcycle club when it started up.

"The few times I met him and the few rides out we did, the one thing that struck me was how down to earth he was and what a zest for life he had.

"He was such a lively character and a `do anything for anybody' sort of person."

The cavalcade met at the Head of Steam pub in St George's Square, before travelling to Mr Fenwick-White's home on New North Road. There were 15 minutes of silence before the cavalcade travelled to the crematorium.

After the service people were invited back to the college's Highfields Annexe Theatre, where Mr Fenwick-White taught.

The fatal crash happened at 2.40am on Easter Monday in an intersection tunnel linking the M1 southbound at Junction 42 with the M62 westbound at Lofthouse Gate, north of Wakefield.