Villagers near Selby were in mourning today after tragedy claimed the lives of a teenager and a young mother.

The funerals of 18-year-old student Robert Morris, who died in a car crash, and cancer victim Sarah Wood, 30, were both held on Wednesday afternoon at churches just a few miles apart.

Almost 300 mourners attended St Helen's Church, Skipwith, for the funeral service of Robert who died when his Toyota Rav left the road and smashed into a wall in the Cotswolds just after midnight last Thursday.

And All Saints Church, Bubwith, was also packed as family and friends said goodbye to Mrs Wood, who leaves a husband Steve and a three-year-old son Robert.

The crash in which Robert Morris died instantly happened outside the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester where he was on a foundation course. He planned to take a degree course next year.

Robert, of Poplar Farm, Willitoft, near Bubwith, was a member of Escrick Young Farmers. His main passions in life were shooting, fishing, snowboarding and racket sports.

He captained the squash team at Pocklington Grammar where he was also a member of the school's badminton and tennis first teams.

His family, who described Robert as a young man who lived life to the full, said today they were devastated.

His mother Mary - whose parents Francis and Peggy Outhwaite live in Barlby - said: "The support we have received from everybody we know and our family has been amazing.

"Robert was a real character who could mix with all ages, and had no fear of anything".

Robert often returned home at weekends to help his father Richard out on the farm.

A spokeswoman at the college - which held a minute's silence for him at their May ball - said Robert was a very popular and well-liked student, and everybody was deeply saddened.

A fellow student wrote to the family saying Rob loved his farm and if anyone would live on in people's minds and hearts it would be him.

Mrs Wood, from Acomb Ridge, who was practice manager in City of York Council's legal department, died on the same day as Robert after a courageous battle against cancer.

Her mother Anne Martin - who with her husband Colin runs a garden machinery business in Bubwith - said her daughter had been diagnosed with cancer exactly 12 months ago.

She said: "Sarah was a very brave young woman who put up a tremendous fight, undergoing two lots of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

"She was a loving daughter, wife and mother who adored her son."

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