THE partner of Martin Pottle has paid a heartbreaking tribute to the 26-year-old chef following his death in a motorcycle accident in Feltham.

Lauren Gorrod said Mr Pottle, from Bedfont, was her“soul mate” and described him as “happy, chirpy and lovable”.

They had been together for 10 months and he was about to move into her home in Stanwell when the tragic accident occurred in the early hours of Friday September 5.

Mr Pottle, who worked in the kitchen of the Red Lion pub in Feltham High Street for catering company British Gourmet Burgers, was pronounced dead at the scene in Harlington Road West after 3am.

Miss Gorrod said: “He was moving in with me in the week the accident happened. I gave him the keys at work on Tuesday. He was over the moon.

“And on Wednesday we ordered a bed and mattress. He was going to move in on Sunday.”

The 25-year-old hairdresser said her life would never be the same. She said: “Martin was the kindest, sweetest guy you will ever meet. He’d do anything for anyone. He was a happy, chirpy, lovable guy.

“We had such a strong relationship. We were a couple and we were best friends as well. I went to see him every day at the Red Lion.

“They loved him there as well, he was very close to them. I last saw him that last Thursday night. He was coming home to me when it happened.

“I’m finding it really hard at the moment. I wish I could turn back time and pick him up from work instead of him taking the moped.

“There are good days and bad days. No one will compare to him. He’ll always be in my heart.

“He showed me love like I have never seen it before. I still go to the pub everyday because it’s the only way I can get close to him.

“We wanted to settle down and plan a future together. We were planning for marriage and a baby because we knew we were right for each other.”

She said she went to sleep on Thursday night (Sept 4) before Mr Pottle was expected to return from work with her bedroom light on as he usually banged his leg against the bed or tripped over her cat. When he hadn’t returned home by 2am she called him repeatedly and finally spoke to him shortly before 3am.

Miss Gorrod said: “He joked that he was in a police station because he knows how much I panic. He said he was at his mate’s house and he would see me in half-an-hour. I said ‘I love you’ and he said ‘I love you more’. He always said that.”

Her mum broke the devastating news to her in the morning.

Floral tributes to Martin Pottle

Darren Beecroft, co-owner of British Gourmet Burgers, said Mr Pottle's absence was proving hard to bear.

He said: “He was a good friend. Work isn’t the same any more same. It’s difficult.

“We’re going to shut shop and move somewhere else. There was always laughter and humour in the kitchen, and that’s still there, but it’s different.

“It’s weird, it feels like he’s with us but he’s not. It doesn’t feel right being there without Martin.”

Last week getwestlondon.co.uk reported touching tributes left by Mr Pottle’s friends and family on a Facebook tribute page.

They had also left tributes, candles and flowers at the scene of the accident.