The family of a former Shropshire woman who died in a two-car smash on a Lincolnshire road have paid tribute to her at a funeral service.

Mother-of-one Leah Ford died following the collision in her blue Ford Mondeo on the A153 through the village of Dalderby on July 10.

The driver of the other car, Julia Ann Cannon, 56, died in hospital later.

Miss Ford, 22, changed her name from Leanne Thomas because of her passion for Ford cars. Brought up in Coleham, Shrewsbury, she attended Coleham Primary School and Wakeman School.

She had a young son, Aidan. At the service yesterday at Holy Trinity Church, in Belle Vue, Shrewsbury, vicar Richard Spencer read a letter from Miss Ford’s mother Allison “Dee” Thomas.

The statement paid tribute to her “beautiful, funny, clever” daughter.

She said after they grew apart they had recently started to become close again. She said: “We met again and I saw this beautiful woman who looked just like a model.

“She will be in my heart forever.”

At the time of her death, Miss Ford had been working at a nursing home in Lincolnshire, where she lived with her partner Ron Kennedy, 39, who is in the RAF.

Mr Kennedy spoke at the funeral of his love for Leah, his “soulmate”. The pair met through their shared love of Ford Mondeo cars.

Miss Ford’s sister Lucy Kate, 16, said: “I wish I could tell her how much I looked up to her. She taught me to stick up for myself. She was such a great sister to me.”

Miss Ford also leaves her father, David, who lives in Ellesmere.

After the funeral there was a service at Emstrey Cemetery.