TALENTED young rugby player was killed when his mountain bike and a tractor collided in a tragic accident at the weekend.

It happened at the junction of a footpath and farm track close to the A36 at Pepperbox Hill on Saturday morning.

Rory Walworth, 19, was left with extensive injuries and, despite attempts to resuscitate him, died at the scene.

The tractor driver, a 21-year-old from Salisbury, was uninjured. Police are appealing for witnesses.

Rory was a former Bishop Wordsworth’s School pupil, who played rugby for the first team.

He also played under-17 rugby at county level and was a Dorset & Wiltshire championship winner for four consecutive years with Salisbury RFC.

He lived at Downton with his father Simon, sales director with Internet yacht brokers, Boatmatch, and mother Lynn, a nurse practitioner at the Whiteparish surgery.

The couple have two other children, Thomas, 21, a university student, and Rosie, 15, a pupil at South Wilts Grammar School.

The family issued a statement paying tribute to “a one-off, a genuine guy who was hugely popular with, and respected by, everyone who knew him”.

They said: “He was ‘just one of the lads’ and a ‘legend’ to his friends, always very entertaining, with a dry sense of humour.

“His death has left a huge void in many of his friends’ lives. Within hours, his Facebook wall was covered in messages to him.

“He was a quiet character with a big personality who made an impact on everyone he met.”

The family said he loved all sport, including gym and boxercise. He was a Bath rugby fan, and had built his own mountain bike.

He also loved animals, especially his black Labrador, Pippin, and was an avid reader.

At Bishop Wordsworth’s, where Rory gained A levels in history, physics and English, headteacher Stuart Smallwood said: “He was a splendid young man who contributed a great deal to the life of the school, especially through his sporting commitments.

“He had a wide circle of friends, and the sense of loss and sadness will be profound.”

His Salisbury RFC coach, Ben Archer, described Rory, who played as a prop, as “a hugely motivated and driven boy”.

He said: “He was a team player through and through. He never missed a training session. He was dedicated and totally enthusiastic. I remember that in the team’s last game together, he scored the final try.”

Rory was planning to travel before going to university to study modern history. He intended to work in South Africa and, possibly, go to New Zealand to play rugby.

On the day he died, he was wearing a dark blue T-shirt and beige shorts and carrying a black backpack.

Police are asking anyone who saw him, or the green and yellow John Deere tractor, which was towing a large blue trailer along the track towards Witherington Farm from the direction of the A36, to contact PC Pete Lawson or Sgt Daryn Pearce on 01722 435356, or to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.