By Anna Thompson Winter sports editor

Taylor with the big air trophy he won in March

Skating and skiing champion Richard Taylor, who has died after an accident near his home, had a large personality and an even bigger talent.

The 23-year-old was already national in-line skating champion, when he decided to try his luck with longer footwear, namely skis.

And he took to freestyle skiing immediately, winning the big air title at the Orange British Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Championships in March.

He had only clipped on skis for the first time six months earlier but his natural aptitude saw him progress quickly.

Top skater dies after crash

Taylor stunned even himself when he clinched the big air title with a 900-degree rotation off a huge jump in Les Deux Alpes in France.

He told BBC Sport at the time: "The tricks are very similar whether you're skiing or skating but I was certainly not expecting to win the big air."

Taylor, from Barry in Wales, learned to skate because he wanted to become a stuntman and turned professional at the age of 15.

He won his second National In-line Skating title last month but continued to practice new tricks and jumps for both skiing and skating on a trampoline at his parents home.

And it was near this home where Taylor was involved in the accident last Tuesday which claimed his life.

He was not wearing a helmet when he collided with a concrete lamp-post.

His energy and positive attitude rubbed off on all who were around him Friend Gavin Carruthers

Taylor's parents consented to his life support machine being turned off on Sunday when he failed to regain consciousness after suffering a fractured skull and two broken legs in the accident.

Taylor had become a hero to Welsh children and was extremely popular in both the in-line and freestyle skiing world.

Friend Gavin Carruthers, an in-line skating photographer and freestyle skiing judge, paid tribute to Taylor.

He told the BBC Sport website: "Rich was blessed with the most amazing talent for sport and every day he pushed the limits of the sports he was involved with.

"His energy and positive attitude rubbed off on all who were around him.

"He was truly an amazing person and we will all miss him."

This weekend the Artificial Big Air Championships were taking place at Halifax Ski Centre in Yorkshire.

Organisers Soul Sports said they had held a minute's silence for Taylor ahead of the ski competition on Sunday.

Spokeswoman Jenny Ahnell added: "Richard was fairly new to the ski scene but he was already a character.

"He was an amazing person and it is very very sad what has happened."

His family are hoping his legacy will live on and have agreed to donate his organs for transplant.

They said through a hospital statement: "Richard strongly supported organ donation and his family are responding to his wishes for his organs to be donated and trust that his passing away will be of benefit to others."