A FUN-LOVING, family orientated, caring person whose smile and personality would light up any room.

That's how distraught parents John and Derek Trelford described their 33-year-old daughter, Nicola, killed in a mystery car crash in Runcorn.

"Her infectious giggle endeared her to everyone," they said.

"The number of calls we have received, tributes we have heard and the shock we have seen locally and nationally through those who knew her, her work colleagues and countless others, is testimony to how Nicola touched the lives of all she met.

"She was the best daughter we could ever hope for."

Nicola, a lawyer at Hill Dickson in Liverpool, died after her blue Alfa Romeo 156 car was involved in a collision with a tree.

The accident happened on the A5126 Weston link road near the exit slip road to the Weston Expressway, shortly before 7pm, on Tuesday.

"Nicola was our life and she has been cruelly and unexpectedly taken away from us," said her parents.

"We appeal to anyone who has information to come forward, even more so if you are a parent or a grand parent and would understand what we are going through."

Anyone with information can call PC Rick Hooley on 01244 613928.

Her work colleague, Lawford Martin, said: "Nicola's sudden death was a devastating shock to all her work colleagues.

"She had made many friends and was a popular, well respected lawyer in the health care division.

"Her success was recently rewarded with a promotion to the status of associate in the firm.

"Nicola will be sorely missed for her happy and jovial attitude towards life which touched us all."

Her family will give any donations in Nicola's memory to Alder Hey Hospital.

You can leave tributes to Nicola here.