THE parents of a popular schoolboy and talented kart racer have been paying tribute to their son who died in a tragic accident.

Benn Leon, 14, from Bishopsbourne, near Canterbury, was killed when the Vauxhall Astra car he was driving in a friend's field overturned. Two school friends in the car escaped unhurt after the accident at Adisham.

The teenager was a pupil at St Edmund's School in Canterbury, which has suffered the second death of a pupil in a car accident in two months.

Benn's parents, Nick and Nicola Leon of Mill House, Woodgate, Bishopsbourne, say he lived life to the full and had a passion for kart racing. He began racing at nine when he won the Lydd novice championship. At the time of his death he was leading the Junior TKM championship at Buckmore Park kart circuit at Chatham.

The couple, who have an older son, Ry, 17, and younger daughter, Amy, 10, described him as popular, and generous with a mischievous personality.

Mr Leon, a company director, said: "In kart racing circles, Benn was known as Will. "He was a true racer and loved the atmosphere of the circuit and paddock, but he never had big dreams of being a full-time racer.

"In fact, he was so good at fixing things that he would have loved to have been a racing car mechanic. Benn loved his friends, was generous of spirit and lived life to the full, but he was actually quite shy."

He added: "The accident was just that, a tragic accident and Ben was just doing what many lads do in the countryside. We know that he would not blame anyone else for what happened."

The tragedy happened. Benn's funeral service will be held at Barham Crematorium at 12.30pm on Tuesday.

Mr Leon said: "It will be a celebration of Benn's life. We do not want everyone to dress in black because that is not what he would have wanted. His crash helmet will be placed on his coffin which will be covered with his racing stickers."