A BLUE plaque to commemorate a pioneering biologist and his "extraordinary" rugby player son who died in the First World War has been unveiled in North Oxford.

Animal markings expert Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton was honoured on Saturday with a ceremony at his former Banbury Road home, along with son Ronald Poulton Palmer.

War hero Mr Palmer was just 25 when he was shot by a sniper while standing on top of a dug-out and directing a working party in Belgium.

Sir Edward was professor of Zoology at Oxford University who passionately advocated Darwin's theory of natural selection.

His second son, Ronald, is the youngest blue plaque recipient since the Oxfordshire scheme began in 2001.

Ronald won 17 caps for England and led them through an unbeaten Five Nations campaign in 1914.

He still holds the record – five – for the most tries in a varsity match against Cambridge.