Tribute paid to ‘beautiful’ and ‘kind-hearted’ 17-year-old girl who died after Derbyshire crash

Lucy Knowles died after a car she was travelling in collided with a tree off Harewood Road, Holymoorside.

Karie Bell-Wriggs, Lucy’s aunt, said everyone who knew her was shattered by her death, and that their lives had been irreversibly changed.

“All those whose lives were touched by Lucy are absolutely devastated and still reeling from what can only be described as a nightmare,” she said.

“Lucy was such a beautiful, funny, vibrant and kind-hearted young woman with her whole life ahead of her, cruelly taken from her parents and siblings, friends and family, for all of whom life will never be the same again.”

Karie has set up a fundraiser for people to donate towards the cost of Lucy’s funeral, and said this will help ease the worries of her parents as they grieve.

“As her family and friends we want to help in any way possible, so we’re raising funds to help give her that extra-special send off during this very hard time. It is there to be used in any way to honour Lucy, to let her family know how much Lucy is loved and how she will be unbelievably missed,” she said.

“They say ‘no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.’ Never a truer word spoken - how can the world keep going when such a beautiful soul is taken away? This will allow them to grieve without the worry, to be there for each other.“Her family are so thankful to all that have messaged and reached out already. We cannot comprehend the pain they are going through, but if we can ease their worries even just a little to give Lucy the send off she truly deserves and help them through this, then that's something.“They want everyone to know she will live on in others as she is amazingly donating her organs to those in need,” she added.

Lucy, who lived in Chesterfield with her family, was a former pupil at Outwood Academy Newbold.

An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of two offences - dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of drugs – following the collision at 10.50pm on Saturday.

Donations can be made to the fundraiser here.