A mother-of-two who "loved life the most out of everybody" died after her car crashed head-on with a bus just metres from her home.

Jessica Vallins, 39, of Homestead Way, New Addington, collided as she drove along her road just after midnight, Sunday morning.

She was pronounced dead at the scene an hour later despite paramedics fighting to save her.

Several passengers were on board the single-decker 130 bus when it collided with Mrs Vallins's Hyundai, but they and the driver were unhurt.

On Monday, Mrs Vallins's husband John wrote on Facebook: "Please, everyone wear a seat belt, life is precious". 

Friends described Peruvian-born Mrs Vallins as a "brilliant mum" who doted on the couple's young son and daughter.

Danni Wallace, 35, said: "Our daughters went to nursery school together. She loved her kids very much, they were like her world. She was definitely a brilliant mum.

"Every time I saw her she was with her kids, every time we spoke it was about her kids. I just wonder what they are going through at the moment."

She added: "She absolutely loved life. She was always the centre of the party, laughing. She had the most infectious laugh. Always bubbly, always happy, always smiling no matter what.

"There's nothing bad to say about her. She was really lovely. She was the one who loved life the most out of everybody I've ever met. So many people loved her."

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Flowers, ballons and tributes have been left at the site of the crash

Tommy Stevens, a family friend who worked with Mr Vallins, a welder, said: "She was a lovely family girl who lived for her kids. It is a terrible thing to happen, such a shame.

"They were a lovely family, just trying to get on in life. They were both grafters. They'd not long bought their house, about seven years ago."

At the family's home this afternoon, Mr Vallins's sister said he was too distraught to speak.

Well-wishers have left flowers, cards and balloons at the scene of the crash.

Among them are tributes from children at Oakland Primary School in Biggin Hill, where Mrs Vallins helped out.

A post-mortem examination was due to be held today but the Metropolitan Police, which is investigating the collision, could not yet give a cause of death.

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Children at the nursery where Mrs Vallins's helped are among those to have left tributes

Witnesses decribed hearing a loud bang at about 12.10am and seeing a crowd of bus passengers by the side of the road.

One man, who did not wish not to be named, said: "I didn't see anything, just heard a bang, looked out of the window and saw the crash. I called the emergency services and went outside.

"She seemed OK at that time, but trapped in the car, and a lady was reaching in and comforting her.

"The services arrived and got her out of the car. They erected a blue screen and over the next hour they performed CPR three times."

Anyone with information can call the Metropolitan Police on 020 8285 1574.