TRIBUTES have been paid to a 17-year-old schoolgirl who died in a road accident near Middleton Cheney.

She has been named by Northamptonshire Police as Roseanna Stewart of Thorpe Mandeville.

Known as Rosie, she was a keen horse rider and was a member of this year's junior European eventing squad.

She had recently passed her driving test and was on her way to Tudor Hall Girls School at about 8.15am on Friday when her Vauxhall Corsa and a Mercedes Estate were in collision on the B4525 Welsh Lane - near the junction with Waters Lane, Middleton Cheney.

Miss Stewart was pronounced dead at the scene, and the female driver of the Mercedes was taken to Horton Hospital in Banbury with minor injuries.

The road was closed for several hours while police investigated the crash.

Wendy Griffiths, headmistress at Tudor Hall, said: "Rosie was a gentle but determined girl who had a particular talent and passion for riding.

"This year her eventing career took off and she competed abroad for the first time at Ede, in Holland, which led to her being short-listed for the Junior European Championships.

"Following consistently high results, she was selected for this year's Junior European Championship at Avenches, Switzerland, where the team won gold.

"She had also recently been awarded the TASS (Talented Athletes' Sports Scholarship) which is a government and lottery funded grant, to help further her eventing career.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with her parents and her brother Ben at this time.

"Rosie will be greatly missed by the whole community at Tudor Hall."

Witnesses are asked to call the collision investigation unit on 08453 700700, the drivewatch hotline on 0800 174615, or to send an SMS text only to 07765 637201.