Tributes have been paid to a rugby club “stalwart” who has died at the age of 51.

Steve ‘Perick’ Price, from Penybont, passed away at Hereford Hospital after a short battle with cancer.

Mr Price, who died on Monday, January 28, leaves behind his wife Luan and two children Nathan and Molly.

His friends Chris Wright, Glyn Owens and John Hughes have paid tribute to Mr Price saying he was “an outstanding friend”.

“We loved him to bits. He was a massive character who wore his heart on his sleeve,” they said.

“He was a very proud family man.”

Mr Price, whose biggest passion was the Welsh rugby team, dedicated much of his time to youth sports such as Builth Wells Rugby Club, Rhayader Youth Motorcross Club and Tref-Y-Clawdd RFC.

“That was his gift,” Chris said.

“He was fantastic with all of the kids. He had a lot of time for them. He’d help them and nothing was ever too much trouble.

“When he moved to coach the juniors at Builth Wells Rugby Club, he did tremendous things there.

“It’s only now, when he’s gone, that you realise how much he’s done.”

Mr Price was chairman of Builth Wells Youth Rugby Club for 10 years and had been the youth team’s manager during the 2014-15 season.

Jeremy Pugh, chair of Builth Wells Rugby Club, said Mr Price was “leaving a legacy to which young players and their parents are still benefitting from today”.

In a tribute posted on Facebook, Builth Wells Rugby Club said Mr Price was a “stalwart of our club” who will be “sorely missed by so many”.