TRIBUTES have been paid to a 19-year-old scooter rider who died in an accident at the weekend.

The mother of Stockton man Ben Larkin was too distraught to speak yesterday, other than to say her son was a "brilliant, just brilliant" person.

Mr Larkin was with another 19-year-old on a Peugeot scooter when the vehicle hit a kerb at about 4.50am on Sunday.

Paramedics pronounced Mr Larkin dead at the scene of the accident, in Elm Tree Avenue, Stockton.

Police accident investigators believe the scooter, which was travelling east towards Bishopton Road West, mounted a grass verge and both riders were thrown from the vehicle.

It is thought one of them hit a lamppost. The survivor, also from Stockton, suffered a broken toe.

He was initially taken to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, and was later transferred to the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

Mr Larkin lived with his parents in Bishopton Road, about half a mile from the scene of the accident.

He was an apprentice joiner at Stockton's Employment and Training Services.

Yesterday, staff at the centre, where Mr Larkin had trained for 20 months and was soon to complete his Foundation Apprenticeship course, were devastated by the news.

Stewart Atkinson, manager of the service, said: "We were all so shocked to hear the news.

"He had been doing so well and was just about to complete his course after 20 months' hard work and had everything needed to progress further.

"Ben was a nice, lively young man and we are all just devastated. It is a tragedy. Our thoughts are with Ben's family."

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call PC Michael Callaghan on (01642) 301558.