Tributes to Kinmel Bay teenager Rebecca White

Jan 8 2009 by David Simister, North Wales Weekly News

Rebecca White

TRIBUTES have been paid to a Kinmel Bay teenager who was killed in a car crash in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Rebecca White, 17, suffered fatal injuries when the car she was travelling in hit a wooden telegraph pole on the outskirts of Mold. She died in hospital hours later.

Her parents Caroline and Frank White said in a statement that the crash happened the day after her 17th birthday.

“She grew up in the Prestatyn and Kinmel Bay areas and attended Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan in Abergele until just recently. She was about to start a new job as a hairdresser,” they said.

“She was a much loved daughter, sister, auntie and granddaughter and we are all devastated by what has happened.”

Rebecca was treated by paramedics and taken to Wrexham Maelor hospital, where she died of her injuries at 8am on January 1.

The driver of the dark blue Ford Fiesta in which she was travelling, believed to be a 19-year-old male, is said to be recovering in the same hospital with serious injuries. Road conditions at the time are unknown but the temperature at the time of the crash was around -5°C.

Rebecca’s death is one of a series of tragedies to hit Emrys Ap Iwan school in recent years.

Popular Ben Perrin, 14, hanged himself in March, 2008, and in January, 2006, 14-year-old Sadie Campbell died of a heart attack during a swimming lesson at the town’s leisure centre.

Nayland Southern, headteacher at the school, praised Rebecca and said she would be missed by her many friends at the school.

“It’s a terrific sadness we’re feeling for her and it’s hit the whole school community hard,” he said.

Kinmel Bay town councillor Geoff Corey described the crash as a dreadful loss of life, and a number of tributes have been left for Rebecca on the Bebo social networking website.

Officers from North Wales Police are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen the collision to come forward with details. Anyone with information should call 0845 607 1001 (Welsh) or 0845 607 1002 (English).