THE headteacher of fatal accident victim Ty-Ree Partridge has paid tribute to her love for everything about life at Larkmead School, Abingdon.

Ty-Ree, 11, last week became the second Larkmead schoolgirl to be killed in a cycling accident in the town in nine months.

Larkmead head Chris Harris said Ty-Ree was an enthusiastic student who involved herself in everything to do with school life.

Ty-Ree was cycling home from a school science club when she was involved in a collision with a van in Copenhagen Drive last Wednesday. She suffered serious head injuries and was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, but died the following night.

Mother Emma-Jones Partridge and stepfather James Turner said Ty-Ree would be “dearly missed” and had been looking forward to the birth of a new baby sister.

Mr Harris said: “Ty-Ree was an enthusiastic student who involved herself in the life of the school. Recently, she had been a member of the science club. She was so inspired by the club that she had decided that she would like to be a scientist. She was also involved in a recent book launch at the school.

“Ty-Ree had her whole life ahead of her and was clearly exploring different interests and activities. We also know how close she was to her family, who will miss her deeply, as will we as her school.”

Ty-Ree, who had a brother Danny, had also attended the town’s John Mason School.

In a joint statement, Ty-Ree’s mother and stepfather said: “Ty-Ree was much liked everywhere she went and made friends easily.

“She made her own path in life and knew her own mind.

“She was always clowning around and was a real family girl, being especially excited about the imminent birth of her new baby sister.

“She will be dearly missed and was a much-loved daughter and sister.”

Ty-Ree’s death, which came nine months after fellow Larkmead pupil Sarah Waterhouse also died in a cycling accident, has again led to calls for routes in the town to be made safer.

The town’s six secondary schools and Abingdon and Witney College are drawing up an action plan, which includes pedestrian crossings, speed humps and a cut in the speed limit from 30 to 20mph on roads near schools. They will also improve the cycling education given to pupils.

Mr Harris said: “We will continue with our safety bike checks. We have been working with the Oxfordshire County Council’s road awareness team looking at pedestrian and cycling awareness and cycling proficiency.”

Mr Harris said the schools hoped to create a safe zone linking all the sites and that a proposal for improvements would be presented to County Hall in September.

Anthony Kirkwood, of the county council’s road safety unit, said £35,000 had been set aside for improvements to cycle routes in Abingdon.

Brendan O’Neill, junior school head at Our Lady’s Convent, said: “I would have thought one mistake on this road was enough and that some safety features should have been put in place. We have been running Bikeability courses for Years 4 and 5. When I talk to parents about travelling to school on bikes, they say it is not safe. We want to make it safe.”

Steve Billcliffe, assistant principal at Abingdon and Witney College, said: “Perhaps we need to introduce the equivalent to the advanced driving test for cyclists. It’s not so much knowing how to ride a bike, but being able to look out for other road users and pedestrians.”