A VIVACIOUS adventure tourism graduate from Bucks has died in a rafting accident in Thailand doing what she loved.

Samantha Morton, 23, of Wheeler Avenue in Penn, near High Wycombe, was backpacking in northern Thailand with a university friend called Emma.

Samantha, or Sam as she liked to be called, arranged to go white water rafting last weekend. She was involved in a boating accident near Chiang Mai and died. The precise details of her death are not known at this time.

Emma broke the news to Sam's parents Eddie and Ros Morton in Buckinghamshire via a long distance phone call.

Mr Morton, 59, said: "We are totally in shock. We haven't taken it in at all.

"The Thai authorities haven't given us much information at all. We don't really know what happened or even if an inquest was held or is going to be held in this country.

"We only know what Emma has told us, which is that sadly whilst Sam was white water rafting her boat got into trouble, throwing her into the water. Despite everyone's best efforts they were unable to save her."

Sam's body was due to be flown back to England this week.

"Sam was so excited about going to Asia," her father continued. "She had only been there nine days but her last email said 'it's all go and I'm loving it.'"

Her mother, 58, added: "Sam definitely had the travel bug and after Thailand was thinking about going to stay with her cousin and work in New Zealand.

'That is how I will remember her'

The family has been inundated with hundreds of emails and cards this week from friends she made on her world travels. "Their cards and emails are all that has been keeping us going," the heartbroken Mrs Morton said.

"I know everybody always says this but Sam was such an outgoing, fun and vivacious person. She made friends easily. That is how I will remember her - with a smile on her face."

Sam also leaves behind two elder brothers, Gavin, 29 and Martyn, 27.

From a young age, Samantha loved adventure. Whilst at Tylers Green First and Middle Schools, and later at Holmer Green Senior School, she seized every chance to go on camping and skiing trips with her class mates.

She went on to graduate with a BA Honours degree in adventure tourism from the Birmingham College of food, tourism and creative studies.

During holidays Samantha volunteered at summer camps in the Isle of Wight and New Jersey and also worked at a ski-resort in the Alps, where she learnt how to snowboard and paraglide.

Mrs Morton said: "You couldn't have stopped Sam travelling if you tried. She was always very active and was doing what she loved on the day she died."