THE family of a motorbike rider who died in a crash have paid tribute to an “incredible young man”.

Sebastian Abbatiello – known as Seb – came off his bike on the A449 Malvern to Ledbury Road on Saturday at about 7.25pm.

The 19-year-old hit a tree while his 125cc Yamaha bike ended up in a hedgerow. He suffered several serious injuries and despite the efforts of medics to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His father Sebastian Abbatiello, who competed in The World’s Strongest Man competition, was named Italy’s Strongest Man and appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator, said his son “had everything going for him”.

“He had a place at Worcester University. He was incredibly talented with computers and was a daredevil,” said Mr Abbatiello.

The young rider lived in Hanley Swan, near Malvern, with his family and had previously lived in Bath Road, Worcester.

A former Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College pupil, he also went to Hanley Castle High School and later Worcester College of Technology.

He loved motorbikes and extreme sports and was a talented keyboard player but excelled on computers, building his first at 15.

The teenager landed a job at a local firm Bits Computers at Welland, near Malvern, before even leaving school.

Company owner Tony O'Donnell said: “Seb was a gifted lad and had a promising career ahead of him. He was always smart and a true hard-worker.

“Despite his young age, clients would ask for him by name when they had problems. He did so much for this company and will be irreplaceable. He had a great eye for detail and was a real perfectionist.”

His father added: “He was a genius with computers. Everything he did he did properly and the best he could do it.”

After college, Sebastian got a place on the advanced computer studies course at the University of Worcester, where he was due to start in September.

As well as his dad, he leaves younger brother Sergio, two-year-old sister, Serece-Pink and mum Michelle Jancey.

His father’s partner Louise paid tribute to an “incredible young man” and his uncle David Abbatiello said he was “much more than just a normal lad”.

Flowers have been laid at Chance’s Pitch, Colwall, near Malvern, where he died, and family are travelling from Italy to be with his father.

Post-mortem tests revealed that Seb died of shock and a punctured lung, according to Mr Abbatiello.

He said: “I have to live everyday of the rest of my life knowing he cannot come back. I wish it had been me and not him.”