THE family of tragic crash victim Tash Samways have paid a moving tribute to their “angel”.

The father of the 17-year-old former Beaminster schoolgirl also revealed how she sent him a text message saying she was staying with her boyfriend just two-and-a-half hours before she died in the crash on the Weymouth to Bridport coast road.

Her dad Colin Sweet and stepmother Lil Sweet spoke of the moment the police arrived at their front door to tell them the tragic news and described Tash as a “popular” girl who was always “the life and soul of the party.”

Mr Sweet, 45, said: “She was a great girl. She’s my angel.”

Mr Sweet said Tash always had lots of friends coming in and out of their home. in Orchard Avenue, Bridport.

He added: “She was a happy girl. Nothing kept her down and if she failed something she would have a go at it again but harder.”

“And anyone who had a problem could always talk to Tash.”

Tash attended St Mary’s Primary School in Beaminster and the Beaminster School.

Her brothers Gareth and Ashley joined the army and she wanted to join them and become an army nurse.

But she failed her medical and went to Yeovil College to study childcare.

Mr Sweet said Tash was “really good” with young children and close to her family.

He said: “If it was teatime no matter what she was doing she would call and ask us to wait for her and we would wait to all have tea together.

“She always kept me informed because she knew we would stay up all night worrying about her.”

Tash also leaves behind her younger brother Jason, 16 and her mother Deborah, who lives near Tunbridge Wells.

She loved the old style Mini car. She dreamed of having her own and was due to take her driving theory test on Monday.

Mr Sweet said on the night she died she had been out with friends.

He said: “They were all going out for a meal and meeting in Wetherspoons and then we got the text message at 10pm saying she was staying with Jamie.

“You expect your kids to bury you and not you to bury your kids.”

The emergency services were called to the B3157 at Whitmoor Coppice next to Langton Herring at 12.48am on Thursday after the BMW flipped over with no other cars involved.

Mr Griffiths, 21, was taken to hospital with serious but not life threatening injuries and two other passengers who were taken to hospital were okay.

Police said Tash died at the scene.

Mrs Sweet, 47, said: “We didn’t know anything because the police couldn’t contact us.

“Then at 9am the police knocked at the door.

“It was the worst moment.”

Mrs Sweet told how close she had always been with Tash.

She said: “When she was younger she was always with me cooking and I taught her how to crochet knit.

She added: “She was a little pitbull and friends called her a little terrier as she took no nonsense.

“But you couldn’t be miserable with her around. She wouldn’t let you.

“She was always a rock for her friends and she had an infectious personality.

“When Tash touched your life that was it.”

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