WORCESTER Warriors has been left reeling by the news one of its young prospects has terminal cancer.

Jessica Pardo Alvarez, 18, was one of the first recruits for the Centre of Excellence back in January 2018 and is described as “an extremely popular member of the group”.

A club statement read: “Always bringing her own individuality to each session, Jess’s energy is infectious and she is always making players and staff laugh.

"As a natural team player her ability to praise people around her when they do things well is a quality that is too often underrated.”

The club “will continue to support Jess and her family through these challenging times” while also holding fundraisers in line with Covid regulations for the Mat Davis Foundation – a charity that helps people aged 18-30 and their families cope with the impact of a cancer diagnosis.

It also helps support under-18s with physical and educational needs.

Warriors men’s and women’s senior teams will also wear blue laces as a gesture of solidarity.

A Warriors representative indicated the club would not be making further comment to external media out of respect for the wishes of Jessica and her family.