The parents of a teenager who died when his motorbike hit a signpost have spoken of their heartbreak.

Chris and Carol Robinson, of Highview, Sompting, choked back tears as they talked about son Steven, 17, who was killed on a slip road off the A27 at Holmbush, Shoreham, on Monday.

Mrs Robinson, 39, said: "It is a terrible thing to happen. We could not have asked for a better son. He had everything to live for."

Steven, an apprentice engineer at HPC in Burgess Hill, was out on a bank holiday ride with a friend when his bike hit one of the poles supporting a sign, killing him instantly.

He had been riding the 125cc bike since he turned 17 in May and used it to travel to work every day.

Mrs Robinson said: "He used to laugh at me because I didn't want him to ride it in case something like this happened. But he told me he was sensible and would be all right."

Mr and Mrs Robinson are now calling for the signs to be moved to prevent more tragedies.

Mr Robinson, 41, said: "We have told the police we don't think those signs should be where they are.

"They are on the road side of the crash barriers and we think they should be on the other side or on the barriers themselves.

"We have been up to the site. There is no give in those posts. He would have still been with us if it wasn't for them."

The couple described Steven as a popular young man who made friends easily and loved riding his motorbike.

Mr Robinson, a welder, said: "He was a good boy and a good character who never caused us any trouble.

"He was an avid football supporter and loved Brighton and Hove Albion. He did work experience in their club shop in Brighton and used to travel to Gillingham to matches.

"He loved football and he loved his bike. He was always cleaning it and looking after it."

Steven also leaves a sister, Zoe, 15, and brothers Gary, 11, and Terry, seven.

Zoe described him as a loving brother who liked to spend time with her and his younger brothers.

She said: "He used to pick holes in me all the time but I knew he didn't mean it. He just loved winding me up because it was so easy.

"We used to have nights every week when we would stay up late together and watch films."

Steven will be missed by his many friends at Crawley Technical College, where he had just completed the first year of four-year City and Guilds course, and at Boundstone Community College, Lancing, where he did his GCSEs.

He will be cremated at the Downs Crematorium in Brighton on September 5 at 1.30pm wearing his favourite Brighton and Hove Albion kit.

His ashes will later be scattered over the Withdean Stadium in Brighton.