The father of a 33-year-old Falmouth mother who died in a crash on the Lizard has paid tribute to his "caring and gentle" daughter.

Michelle Pascoe, from Budock Terrace, died after the Land Rover Discovery she was travelling in hit a ditch and rolled.

It was being driven by her husband of three years Mickey Pascoe - commonly known as "Metal Mickey" due to his profession as a scrap dealer.

Her father, John Reay, said that, despite problems with her sight and movement, she was never miserable.

"She was always happy. She was caring, gentle and loved life. She had her ups and downs but she always had the last laugh. She was always there for me and I was always there for her," he said.

The Land Rover was travelling between Traboe Cross and Kuggar, along Goonhilly Downs, when the accident occurred at around 6.15pm last Wednesday. The couple were with family friend, 19-year-old Adam Jinks, from Penryn Street in Redruth, and two other friends, heading to Kennack Sands Caf for tea.

Mr Pascoe, 56, broke down in tears as he described how he had pulled out to overtake the car in front when his vehicle, which was towing a trailer, went out of control. "The moment I pulled out I heard a bang. As I went in the ditch the front of the jeep went down. I know I was rolling, that's all I remember. The next thing I knew I was getting out of the jeep on the downs. That road is a god-damn killer," he said.

Mr Pascoe, who lived in nearby Traboe for nine years, said he could remember hundreds of accidents on that same stretch of road.

He added that there were thousands of things he wanted to say about his wife but he could not put them in to words. "The hardest thing for me is that I was with her for 24 hours a day. No matter what I do, it the accident is always there," he added.

He described his wife as being incredibly brave, adding: "All the time she was with me she would never tell me when she was in pain."

Mrs Pascoe moved to Cornwall from Stockport in Manchester in 1986, with her family settling in Penryn. She attended Pencalenick School and then Camborne College.

She married Mr Pascoe three years ago, although they had been together for 14 years. The couple have two children - eight-year-old Sharmaine and five-year-old James - who attend King Charles Primary School in Falmouth.

One of her favourite hobbies was bingo, which she played at St Day, Mawgan, near Helston, and Nancegollan.

She also enjoyed car boot sales, charity events and the Cornwall Raceway banger racing events near Goonhilly.

Hazel Chadwick, a close friend and passenger Adam's mother, said: "She was always smiling. If I could bring her back to John and Mickey I would. I'd pay thousands to bring her back but there's just no way she's going to come back now. What can you say?"

Mrs Chadwick said she told the news by telephone. "I was in here and the phone rang. They said, 'There's been an accident' and my mind just went blank. I dropped the phone, ran to the bottom of the stairs and started screaming to my daughter. I just couldn't believe it," she added.

The funeral will be held at St Budoc Church at 2 pm on Thursday, September 8, and Mrs Pascoe is due to be buried next to her daughter, Tasha Marie, who died after eight days.

Both flowers and donations may be given, with the donations going to the Special Care Baby Unit at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro where both her children have received treatment.