A MAN who was born in Weymouth has returned to the town after a 21-year gap by riding his motorcycle to the resort all the way from Switzerland.

Hans Fricker was born in Weymouth in 1961 and lived at Preston, but his family moved back to Switzerland in 1964, and Hans' last visit to the town was as long ago as 1984.

Now he and his wife Suzanne are back in Weymouth visiting some of the places he remembers such as Weymouth Sands, the Jubilee Clock, the harbour, Chesil Beach and Portland Bill.

Hans, who works for agrochemical business Syngenta based in Basel, made the 800-mile trip to Weymouth on his beloved Springer Heritage Harley Davidson motorcycle together with other members of his Basel Harley Davidson chapter from Switzerland.

He said: "Traffic has been good in Dorset. We have just had to get used to driving on the left! We have already been to Durdle Door, Corfe Castle and Swanage and we now plan on heading west towards Exeter and Plymouth.

"We will be in England for about a week and we have had such a good time already in Weymouth that we plan to return here as soon as possible."

Hans has even been back to see the old house where he used to live and to meet his old neighbours, Tom and Brenda Silk and Geoff and Pat Redding, who still live at Preston.

Hans said: "I can still remember them from my childhood, although we have all got a little older."