TRIBUTES were paid last night to a talented teenager who died when his scooter was in a head-on crash with a car. Henry Webb, 17, died when his black Aprilia scooter was in collision with a Hyundai Getz in Bradfield, near Manningtree, on Thursday morning.

TRIBUTES were paid last night to a talented teenager who died when his scooter was in a head-on crash with a car.

Henry Webb, 17, died when his black Aprilia scooter was in collision with a Hyundai Getz in Bradfield, near Manningtree, on Thursday morning.

Yesterday it emerged the youngster had represented England in skeet shooting only 18 months after taking the sport up.

Henry lived in Bradfield with his parents Howard and Sally – who is the club secretary of Ipswich Town Football Club – and was also a talented athlete who enjoyed rugby and had qualified as a diver.

Yesterday Mr and Mrs Webb issued a statement saying: "Henry was a gift that we had for 17 years. He was a delightful son and a very good friend. He didn't have a malicious bone in his body, or a bad word for anybody."

They said their son loved the outdoor life, including driving his Landrover off-road, and was interested in land management and was also a member of the Wix Young Farmers.

But it was in the sport of clay pigeon shooting that the youngster had outstanding success in a very short period of time.

After taking up the sport in 2003 he made amazing progress and by August last year he was an England International.

In the Home International Championships he became the junior British champion and was ranked fourth overall in the UK.

Last night, Alistair Ford, co-owner of the Parkford Shooting Centre in St Osyth, where Henry learned to shoot, said the teenager was going to be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He said: "I taught him to shoot, he came in here as a young lad who really knew nothing about shooting at all.

"He had a very good eye for it and within 18 months we managed to get him into the England team – he put a lot of work in to it and he had showed great promise."

On his very first international shoot the youngster scored the perfect score, 100 out of 100, to become champion.

"He was very thoughtful and everybody at the club liked him, the phone has not stopped ringing and everybody is so saddened by what has happened.

"He was very, very well liked and everything you would want from someone, we were very close and I treated him like one of my own," he said.

Due to his father's work overseas Henry was well travelled and had been to Brazil, Sri Lanka, India, and Mauritius among other places.

He attended St Joseph's College, Ipswich, since he was eight and was due to return in September having completed his AS level exams.

He had also represented his school's rugby team, as well as enjoying skiing, swimming and sailing.

Pc Dave Clark of Stanway Road Policing Unit said: "Henry's death is truly a tragedy, especially in view of his young age. His parents have been generous enough to consent to tissue donation in accordance with Henry's wishes and this will certainly benefit very many others."

Emergency services were called to the collision in Harwich Road at about 9.20am on Thursday but were unable to save the youngster who was the 11th motorcycle or motorbike rider to die on the county's roads this year.