A HEARTBROKEN family have paid tribute to a father-of-two who died while taking part in a motocross rally.

Gareth Young, 43, from St Osyth, was taking park in the rally in Little Hadham, near Bishop's Stortford, on June 18 when he suffered a suspected heart attack.

Emergency services were called to the scene, but he passed away despite the best efforts of paramedics.

Mr Young, who was a Project Engineer with Sound Research Laboratory in Sudbury, was married to Caroline and the pair have two children, aged 14 and 11.

Mrs Young, who married Gareth in 2000 after they met through work at Woods of Colchester in the late 90s, said: “Gareth was into bikes for all of his teenage and adult life.

“He also enjoyed go karting and through his hobbies he made many friends.

“He enjoyed socialising and taking part in bike meets and won many trophies over the years.

“Gareth was very family orientated – he idolised his children and loved spending time with his family and friends.

“In addition to his enduro hobby he had a passion for VWs and from a young age he restored his own split screen camper van, known as Julie, which is very much still part of the family.”

Gareth had been a member of Sudbury Motor Cycle Club for a number of years.

Gavin Hockey, chairman of the club, said: "He was just a really nice guy and loved his racing.

"He was always at the Sudbury Motor Cycle Club events and would help out.

"He was a really super guy.

"It was an absolute tragedy that this happened and it has shaken a lot of us up."

The East of England Ambulance Service was called to the motocross rally after receiving reports that a man was unwell at about 3.10pm on June 18.

A spokesman added: "We dispatched a community first responder, two rapid response vehicles, an air ambulance from the East Anglian Air Ambulance charity, and an ambulance crew.

"Medics treated a man who was unconscious and not breathing. It was later confirmed to be cardiac arrest.

"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Our thoughts are with the friends and family involved."

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and that a files has been prepared for the coroner.