Jack O' Dare, 17, was the passenger in a car which lost control and smashed into a tree on Hartshay Hill at on Monday.

His friends, many who were students with him at Swanwick Hall School, laid flowers at the scene on Tuesday.

And tributes have been pouring in from the sports clubs for which he
played. The chairman of Swanwick Hall Cricket Club, Malc Green, said he was a hugely talented sportsman.

Jack, of The Park, Ironville, was thought to have been out on a test drive in the Citroen car he was thinking about buying when it crashed at 10.30pm.

The driver of the vehicle, a 19-year-old from Marehay, was seriously injured and was also taken to hospital. He is believed to have a broken leg and was due to undergo surgery

Jack's devastated best friend David Large, 17, said: "He called me that night and I said I would meet him in an hour but he never turned up."

David rushed to Hartshay Hill as soon as he found out what had happened but when he got there Jack was already in the ambulance.

Paying tribute to his friend he said: "He was sporty, always smiling and chasing girls."

Another of Jack's friends, Andy Lowe, 17, said: "He was amazing and always had a smile on his face."

Jack, who worked at Selston Leisure Centre and a BP petrol station in Shirland, leaves behind dad Paul, mum Deana and younger sister Lilly, 14.

He played for Swanwick Hall Cricket Club and Matlock Town Football Club's under 19 team.

In a written tribute the cricket club chairman, Mr Green, said: "Even at the age of nine he immediately made an impression as a hugely talented cricketer. He consistently played in higher age groups throughout his short cricketing career and was inevitably chosen to represent Derbyshire at various age groups.

"Jack was always a character during his seven years at Swanwick and made an impression that will never be
forgotten."

Full statement from Swanwick Hall Cricket Club:

Jack was a hugely talented sportsman who seemed to excel at whatever.

He appeared at Swanwick Hall Cricket Club as a young Kwik Cricketer and even at the age of nine immediately made an impression as a hugely talented cricketer.

He consistently played in higher age groups throughout his short cricketing career and was inevitably chosen to represent Derbyshire at various age groups.

Jack was always a character during his seven years at Swanwick and made an impression that will never be forgotten.

'Jack the lad' was probably appropriate but his sporting talent and commitment was never in doubt.

His short life was crammed with achievements and successes that can never be taken away, leaving a lasting impression on all his friends and team mates.

Jack was one of those characters that achieved more in his short life than many achieve in their lifetime and he will be sorely missed by all his friends at Swanwick Hall Cricket Club.


Please leave your tributes for Jack below.