Tribute has been paid to a retired teacher from Norfolk who died following a cycling accident.

Norman Dovey, 74, died on August 13 following injuries from a crash five days earlier on a country road in Cumbria.

Mr Dovey, who lived near Holt, was a teacher and rugby coach at Gresham’s School, and continued coaching following his retirement 10 years ago.

During his tenure at the school he was involved in coaching rugby legends Ben and Tom Youngs.

Gresham’s headmaster Douglas Robb said Mr Dovey was an incredibly dedicated and active teacher who always went “above and beyond”.

Mr Robb said: “It is a massive loss. There are whole generations of Old Greshamians in their 30s who would know him from when he was involved in the school.”

Mr Dovey arrived at Gresham’s over 30 years ago as head of economics, and he also coached the 1st rugby team.

Mr Robb said: “He was the house master of Wellington College. He was a lovely school master and was always really interested in the kids.

“He was the sort of person who would drop a postcard to a kid after a really good game to congratulate them on how well they had done.

“He went beyond simply teaching in the school room.”

MORE: Cyclist in 70s dies following crashMr Robb said after Mr Dovey retired he went on coaching rugby and netball on a part-time basis, and would have returned to the school this September in the same role.

He said: “He was very fit and strong and active.”

Before Gresham’s, Mr Dovey taught at Wellington College, Berkshire, while he was coaching the England Under-19s at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre.

He was married and his own children attended Gresham’s.

The accident happened on the B5307, between Newton Arlosh and Kirkbride, and no other vehicles were involved.