TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular student of the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) who died after being struck by a car as he walked along the A433 in Cirencester.

The 19-year-old, named locally as Jonathan Hulley, known as Jobo, is believed to have been struck by a taxi at around 5.20am on Saturday, before being taken to hospital where he died the following morning.

Since then, friends, family and the RAU have paid tributes, with flowers, a teddy bear and a card addressed to ‘Jobo’ having also been laid at the scene of the collision.

Writing on Facebook, Liam Mooney said: “My brother in arms, we caused mayhem together! We were troublesome and wouldn’t have it any other way. I will miss you so much. We will go again! Jobo Hulley all the love.”

Catherine Ponty wrote: “So sad, Jobo was a very special person and all of us will miss his smile and sense of humour. He was such a gentleman. Our love, thoughts and hugs are with his parents and sister.”

Jonathan worked at the Marlborough Arms in Cirencester and was studying business and enterprise management.

In a statement, Professor Jo Price, RAU vice-chancellor, said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends at this difficult time. We are offering support to those affected. Staff and students mourn the loss of a much-loved member of the RAU community.

“We are in touch with the police and are helping them with their enquiries,” she added.

Officers carried out an extensive seven-hour investigation of the scene on Saturday, which saw the road closed in both directions between the Culkerton crossroads and A429 junction until 12.30pm.

Speaking to the Standard, an eye witness described the scene as the student was treated by paramedics, minutes after the collision on Tetbury Road.

“I arrived when there were just a couple of police cars and an ambulance,” said the witness, who did not wish to be named.

“The taxi driver was still there and there was one guy sitting on the side of the road with him.

“There had been a big party going on; it was still going on around four or five o’clock. You could hear rave-type music from quite far away.”

She said the party was not at the RAU “but I understand it was ag [RAU] students. It was on the way towards Culkerton.”

The witness, who was on her way to work, said she also “nearly hit two” people as she drove down the road.

“There was a number of them in the road, and not at the side of the road, they were all over the place,” she said.

“I just pulled over to see if there was anything I could do to help,” she continued. “The paramedics were doing a sterling job, really fabulous.”

She said she watched as the man was taken away on a stretcher at about 5.45am.

“The police showed me out of the area that they had created and I carried on my way.”

A spokeswoman for South Western Ambulance Service confirmed they were called at 5.22am “after a traffic collision involving a pedestrian”.

“Three ambulances attended as did a rapid response vehicle and a doctor.

“A male with serious head injuries was taken to Southmead Hospital,” she said.

Cotswold Police Sergeant Garrett Gloyn has confirmed that nobody has been arrested in respect of the death, but officers from Road Traffic Collision unit are continuing investigations.

  • Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact police on 101 or email 101@gloucestershire.police.uk and quote incident number 99 of September 30.