TRIBUTES are flowing for a talented young boxer who died after being hit by a car in Oldham.

The distraught father of 17-year-old Trent Warburton said: “He was my champ.”

The youngster suffered fatal injuries and his cousin, aged 19, was seriously injured in the accident on Oldham Road near junction 22 of the M60 in the early hours of Saturday.

The duo were cycling to Trent’s Oldham home when they were hit by a grey Vauxhall Insignia at about 2.55am.

According to the police, the driver fled the scene and five minutes later, police were told an Insignia had hit a taxi in Failsworth and the driver had fled on foot.

They later arrested a man of 27 on suspicion of dangerous driving and drink driving.

Trent had won a number of medals has an amateur boxer and was due to fight again on December 1. He was trained by Marvin Greaves at Team Greaves boxing gym in Bourne Street Oldham.

His father, Terry, told the Manchester Evening News: “He was my champ. He was my son and my best friend. I love and I miss him. There are no other words.”

The teenager – one of seven children - was working as a roofer after gaining qualifications at Oldham College and was soon to turn 18.

Marvin added: “Trent has been boxing since the age of five. He had a bright future – he was an up and coming champ.”

He said his gym would be assisting with funeral costs and raising cash to fund a permanent memorial to Trent.

Paying tribute to him in a statement released by Greater Manchester Police, his family said: “Trent was the much loved son of Terry Warburton and Janine Cave. Brother to Shannon, Terrell, Tamara, Tiana, Tessa and Maulakai.

“Our son was our blue eyed golden boy with his cheeky smile that got him away with almost anything with his mum. He was his dad’s right hand man and his best friend.

“He trained hard at Marvin’s Gym (Team Greaves) for a number of years and he well and truly looked up to his trainer with lots of love and respect.

“He was a polite, well respected young man who has touched the lives of many people in Oldham and the love we have felt from the Oldham community has been very heart warming.

“We have to live with this loss for the rest of our lives. It’s left us all as a family truly devastated and our lives will never be the same again

“Forever in our hearts. Trent, we love you xx.”