HEARTFELT tributes have been paid by a grieving family to a young mother who has died in a car crash.

Francesca Lee, aged 23, sustained serious injuries in the incident and had to be cut free by firefighters.

Miss Lee had lived most of her life in the Wiveliscombe area.

She died at the scene of the accident on the A30 near Sherborne shortly before 8pm on Tuesday, March 6. Non-one else was injured.

Her Honda Civic was involved in a collision on the dual carriageway section of the Yeovil Road at Babylon Hill.

Miss Lee faced personal tragedy at the tender age of seven, when her mother died, and she was brought up by her grandparents in Upton, near Wiveliscombe.

In a statement issued through Dorset Police, her family said: "Devoted mummy to her beautiful baby 17-month-old Alfie, he was her whole world and he meant everything to her.

"Francesca was brought up in Upton, Somerset, from the age of seven by grandparents after losing her mother.

"She was a happy bright child who loved school, she enjoyed living in the country and had a love of animals and nature.

"She attended Kingsmead School in Wiveliscombe and Richard Huish College in Taunton, before going to the University of Portsmouth.

"Francesca was a kind and loving girl who always tried to do her best to put people at ease, she had the most amazing laugh, a wicked sense of humour and Christmas was always her favourite time of year.

"Her favourite colour was pink. She had an amazing singing voice and as a teenager sang with the East Devon Choral Society and could reduce you to tears when she sang. Her grandparents will miss hearing her sing.

"She has touched so many people’s hearts over the years, people who have watched her grow from a small child living with her grandparents to becoming the beautiful and mature young women she was.

"Francesca has a sister, Hannah, and a brother, Adam, who along with her grandparents, Elizabeth and Terry, are heartbroken and utterly devastated.

"She will be so sorely missed by her family, friends and the many people who have known and loved her."