The heartbroken parents of Chris Puddifoot, who died in a car crash just weeks after his sister drowned during a world cycling trip, have described him as a “model son” who was “warm and caring”.

Michael and Mei Puddifoot said they were “numb and at a loss for words” after Chris, 22, was killed when the car he was a passenger in hit an oncoming vehicle in Hampermill Lane, Oxhey, on Tuesday evening.

His sister Karen died in September when the boat she and friend Tim Roney were on sank off the Vietnamese coast as they completed the second leg of their round-the-world cycling challenge for the British Lung Foundation.

Chris had been with the pair when they pedalled across Europe and Scandinavia at the start of their trip in June but had decided not to travel for the second leg in Asia.

Chris was a pupil at Eastbury Farm JMI School and Rickmansworth School where he completed his A-Levels.

Mr and Mrs Puddifoot, from Northwood, said: “No parent should ever have to outlive a child but losing two of our children in less than two months has left us numb and at a loss for words.

“Chris was a model son, brother and friend. He was warm and caring and was loved by all who met him. He had a particular connection and affection with elderly people and loved working as assistant manager at the St Luke’s Hospice Shop in Pinner where he was really well thought of and held in high regard by people.

“He was very athletic and excelled at sports as a youngster but he never dedicated enough time to any one sport as he enjoyed all of them.

“Chris was a tower of strength to us after we lost Karen and of course Tim, who was such a close family friend. All of their friends were, and continue to be so supportive after Karen died and now we are having to cope with losing Chris too. He was so strong for us. Words cannot describe the shock of our loss of such a beautiful son and how we will cope without them both.”

Chris’ girlfriend Abigail Bains has also paid tribute to her “best friend”.

She said: “He had lots of friends, whom he adored, and who supported him after the deaths of Karen and Tim.

“He was my best friend and I loved him the most – he was my favourite person. He meant everything to me.”

Chris was a passenger in a BMW 325i when it collided with an oncoming Vauxhall Astra in Hampermill Lane at about 5.20pm on Tuesday.

Police said today that the cause of the collision is still unknown.