FRIENDS have paid tribute to a 28-year-old man who survived Hurricane Irma only to die several days later in a motorcycle collision on the A48.

Minsterworth resident Jamie Thomas returned from storm-stricken Florida on September 17.

But in a tragic twist of fate was killed after his black motorcycle was in collision with a horsebox near Westbury-on-Severn just seven days later at around 12pm on September 24.

Members of the public, paramedics and air ambulance crew tried their best to save Jamie but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Adrian Davies, of AA Utilities Specialists Ltd where Jamie was employed as a cable puller, told The Forester he was like family to them.

“He was a lovely lad. He was very hard working and It’s a very sad day for us all,” he said.

Friends and colleagues laid flowers and gifts near the crash site.

Jamie had taken to social media days before Hurricane Irma struck Florida and described how he had boarded up the villa he was staying at in Kissimmee, Osceola County on September 9.

Rina Alicia, a Floridian friend of Jamie’s, said her heart was torn by the news of his fatal accident.

The driver of the horsebox, a 54-year-old woman from Dursley, was uninjured.

Police would like to hear from any witnesses who have not yet come forward.

Please call 101 quoting incident number 224 of 24 September 2017.