Tributes to ‘beautiful’ teenage girls killed in horror crash after trip to the seaside

Jennifer Woodhouse, aged 18, from Alfreton, and 19-year-old Lara Meldrum, of Arnold, had been enjoying a ‘summer of fun’ ahead of going to university together when they were involved in the fatal smash.

The collision between a black Peugeot and a black Volvo took place on the A158 in Hagworthingham, Lincolnshire, on Friday, just before 7pm.

Lincolnshire Police said the two friends were treated for their injuries, but both later died.

Heartbroken family members have now released emotional tributes to thepair.

The pair had been due to start studying together at Sheffield Hallam University in September and had been on a day trip to the beach when tragedy struck.

Lara was a talented ice hockey player, while Pizza Express chef Jennifer was described as a ‘mental health hero’ volunteer who was ‘beautifully kind-hearted’ and ‘made the world a better place’.

Kind-hearted

Jennifer's family said: “Jennifer was a force of nature, a beautifully kind-hearted, hard-working, caring and empathetic young woman with the whole world ahead of her.

“She was our beautiful, little star. We are all privileged to have had her in our lives.

“She was hilariously funny with an intelligent sense of humour that never failed. She would be rolling around on the floor with her friends laughing at the silliest thing.

“She had a deeply rooted sense of morals and principles and lived by what she believed.

“She just loved people and above all she believed in and championed all of her family, sticking by them through everything, helping us when we were wounded, caring when we were sick, advising us through our turmoil and always making us laugh and smile.

“She was a whirlwind of energy and would go from baking cakes, to dancing, to painting, to playing with her dog, Kevin.

“She lived life to the fullest and looked to the future, always planning, and saving for her travels or for her car, or for whatever she wanted.

“Jen loved working and earning her own money, she always did more hours than we asked her to do and her work colleagues became lifelong friends.

“Even before paid work, Jen volunteered at Barnardo’s where she worked every week making friends with old and young and having loads of fun.

“Jen could have been a top chef and she worked in a café, a pub and most recently Pizza Express.

“She was skilled beyond her years and took on loads more responsibility than a teen should have. Jen brightened the working day wherever she was and always gave 100 per cent.

“She put others first, always. She understood people so well and last year when her mum and brother were ill she was not only a great support, but a champion, shaving her head for charity.

“Jen was a mental health hero and looked out for all of her friends.

“She knew when things weren't right and would run down the stairs saying, 'we've got to go' and was a brilliant support to many in really dark times, staying with friends when older people would have struggled to cope.

“She was also super funny and would be doing silly videos or Tik Toks, she made friends everywhere and made every situation full of wholesome fun.

“In recent years she did amazingly in her GCSEs and went to college to study her A Levels.

“She met some of her best friends and loved going on adventures especially with Lara, and their holiday to Blackpool was hilarious.

“The world is a better place for having had her in it and she will be missed terribly.

“She was an incredible human who blessed all that got to know her kindness, her intelligent empathy, her charm, her humour, and her complete radiance which made us all be better people.

“If you know Jennifer, you love her.”

Fun-loving

Lara's family described Lara as a ‘fun-loving girl whose kind and caring nature touched so many of her friends all over the country’ and who loved her bus trips with her ice hockey team.

They said: “We have never known anyone with so many ‘best friends’, something so many proudly called her.

“Lara would be the ringleader of karaoke, dancing and all manner of hilarious antics. She loved those bus trips with the girls.

“Latterly Lara worked part-time in McDonald's in Arnold. The shy girl who went for her interview blossomed and her colleagues were soon charmed by that contagious smile and fun.

“She worked hard so she could save money to pay for holidays with her friends, nights out and for her new-found love of clothes.

“Always at the centre of the fun and with a great sense of adventure, we always said she lived life in ‘Lara Time in Lara World’.

“We will miss her jumping on our bed every night to chat before we slept. We will miss her taking days to bring her washing and dishes down.

“We will miss her stealing our phones and taking random pictures without us knowing.

“We will miss her charming ability to get a lift to College despite having just been given money for the bus.

“We will miss her fake tan that made her look like a tiger loaf on day three. We will miss her so much."

Police would still like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who may have dashcam footage of the collision. Anyone who can help is asked to call 101 or email [email protected] quoting incident 402 of June 17.