HEARTFELT tributes have poured in for a 'big-hearted' bus driver who was fatally injured in a cycling collision.

Tributes have poured in for a 66-year-old, named locally as Ronald (Ronnie) Warriner, who was fatally injured after colliding with a parked trailer in Walney Promenade on Thursday.

Mr Warriner worked as a bus driver at St Pius X Catholic Primary School for the past four years, before which he worked at the shipyard as a machinist and inspector.

Known as 'Ronnie the Rocket', Mr Warriner was an 'excellent' rugby player, having played in the Walney Central team and Barrow Masters team for a number of years.

His friend of 50 years, Graham Beach, described him as a 'small person with a 'big heart'.

He said: "Me and Ronnie grew up together - I've known him for over 50 years.

"He was a really fun and happy character. He always had a smile on his face and would stop and talk to anyone and everyone.

"He loved life, rugby league and his family.

"He had a big heart on the rugby pitch. He was a fit lad, he was always at the gym training and kept himself really active.

"It will be a big loss to a lot of people. He was liked by a lot of people - he was a small person with a big heart."

Brian George, described Mr Warriner, as 'always ready with a joke' and one of the town's 'great characters'.

He said: "Ronnie Rocket was our driver on our lads trips to Blackpool.

"He was always ready with a joke and a laugh, and was totally unflappable. He was one of the town's great characters who will be sadly missed."

Ian Noble played rugby with Mr Warriner on the Walney Central team.

He described him as an 'excellent' rugby player and a 'cheeky chap'.

He said: "Many years ago in 1990 Walney Central declared an emergency committee meeting because there weren't enough teams for an under 18 league and they feared players would be lost to the game.

"Ronnie Warriner interjected and said him and I would coach them in the open age competition. The old stagers at the time laughed at us and said they were too young, too small, too inexperienced and would get battered.

"This made Ronnie more determined than ever and shortly after, we were lining the youngsters up against last year's champions.

"He was a character who was fun to be around.

"He was an excellent player and for his size, he was very tough.

"He was a cheeky chap who loved his family, hunting and fishing."

Another friend, David Ferguson, described Mr Warriner's passing as a 'real shame'

He said: "I knew him for a long time, he had a really cheeky personality.

"He liked to laugh all the time - he was really mischievous."

"It's such a shame - I'm really gutted."