ABOUT 100 mourners gathered to pay tribute to the young motorcyclist killed in a tragic accident.

Sami Safder, 17, was buried yesterday afternoon at Fulford Cemetery after being killed in a collision with a German motorist on the A64 last Friday.

Sami was the 26th motorcyclist to die on the roads of North Yorkshire this year, the worst total on record. School friends, college classmates and work colleagues yesterday joined about 30 members of family and the Muslim community to pay their respects to the young man.

"The mosque wasn't big enough to fit everyone in, so there were prayers in the garden for him," said his grandmother, Mary Fisher.

The mourners met at the family home in New Lane, Huntington, where Sami had lain overnight.

At least 30 cars were parked in the surrounding road, with a large group of young friends gathered outside the family home.

"It just shows what a very popular lad he was," said Mrs Fisher.

The group then followed the procession, with a police escort of two motorcyclists, to Fulford Cemetery.

There, more bereaved friends joined the group in mass prayer for the young man before he was buried in a Muslim ceremony by members of the community.

Sami's younger sister, Yasmin, paid him a moving tribute on a wreath from his brothers and sisters, one of many floral tributes. "Why did you have to go? It's never going to be the same without you, and we will miss you always and forever."

The Evening Press attended the funeral at the invitation of the family.

Updated: 11:31 Wednesday, September 24, 2003