Tributes paid to 15-year-old cycling star who died in his sleep

A talented 15-year-old rider and the son of a national cycling champion has died in his sleep.

The death on Friday of Derbyshire rider Charlie Craig, who won the 2016 National Trophy Cyclo-cross Series, has stunned the cycling community.

In a Facebook message, reported in Cycling Weekly, his father Nick Craig: "Yesterday, our world fell apart. Our beautiful lovely little boy Charlie went to sleep but never woke up. I don't know what else to write just now, but he will be with his little angel niece."

The teenager was an apprentice level racer on the Great Britain Cycling Team's Rider Route.

He was from a strong cycling family. His father is a veteran National Trophy Cyclo-cross and National Cross-Country MTB Series champion and a former senior national champion while his brother Tom is a national junior cyclo-cross champion.

British Cycling programmes director Andy Harrison said: "Charlie was a promising young rider who had his whole life ahead of him.

"Everyone involved with the team is devastated by this news and, naturally, all of our thoughts are with Charlie's family."

Simon Burney, a former professional cyclo-cross racer who manages professional cyclo-cross and mountain bike teams, sent his condolences to the family and tweeted: "Right now nothing else seems important. Life is fragile."

British cyclo-cross champion Nikki Brammeier added: "This is just awful, so sad for such a lovely family, RIP Charlie".