The 18-year-old rider who died after a road traffic crash in Collier Row had just popped to the shop for a pint of milk when he was killed.

Sean Stewart, the devastated father of Robert Stewart who was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on January 22 says that he knew something was wrong when he didn’t hear anything from the eldest of his four children, after an hour and a half.

His wife, Kelly, 36 went to look for him when she came across the cordon in the road and it was ambulance crews that broke the news to her.

Sean, 37 said: “We had a funny feeling because he was just putting up a fence in the garden and he went to Londis to get a bottle of coke and milk.

“He would have texted to let us know that he had got there, but we didn’t get anything.

“Kelly had not been driving long so she went out and got lost and that is when she went over to the ambulance crew.”

He added: “It was just heart breaking for her.”

Robert, from Romford was pronounced dead after his Kyncoc Agility 125 scooter was in collision with a Chrysler Voyager at the junction of Burland Road and Highfield Road.

Sean spoke to the Recorder after Robert, who was expecting his first child with girlfriend Lauren Dainty, 17 was laid to rest at a service at South Essex Crematorium on Tuesday February 7.

The service included emotional tributes by family and friends and his favourite song Tinie Tempah’s Pass Out was played at the end.

Sean said; “He got a send off that he really deserved.

“He would have loved it and he would have been around enjoying himself.”

The family bought the bike for Robert as a Christmas present and he was just ‘over the moon’.

He had also attended a five month scan with his long term girlfriend weeks before his death and had found out that the couple were expecting a boy,

Lauren said: “When I found out I was pregnant, it was the best thing ever and we were going to be our own little family.”

Sean said: “He was my world, my rock and my right arm.

“He would do anything for his family and he was the type of person that would give you his last pound even if it meant that he was without.”