A FAMILY has been left devastated after a tragic car crash killed a 'loving' Stockport therapist.
Amanda Jane Torkington died shortly after her car collided with a police van on Wednesday November 29.
The physiotherapist, of Grenville Street, Edgeley, was known as 'Mandy' amongst friends and relatives, and had celebrated her 37th birthday the week before the crash.
As Mandy's family and friends come to terms with their loss, her parents and siblings paid tribute to her; praising her cheerful nature and love of animals.
"We are absolutely devastated. Mandy was outgoing and fun-loving, and people loved her sense of humour, her honesty and the fact she would stand up for what she believed in," they said.
"Mandy was very popular, had loads of friends and will be sadly missed by everyone who knew her."
One of her neighbours, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "I didn't know her that well but it is still really sad to think one minute she's there and the next she is gone."
Ms Torkington, who worked at Wythenshawe Hospital, is thought to have been driving home from work when the crash occurred at the junction of Altrincham Road and Hall Lane.
The police van had been on an emergency call, shortly after 9.30pm, when it was in collision with Mandy's Citroen Saxo.
Phil Conway, who witnessed the crash, said: "I saw the police van coming down the road. It had its lights on and the sirens going. It came through the lights on red. There were two cars coming down Hall Lane and the lights were on green. The first one got out and the second one didn't. It got smacked in the side. The car ended up on the other side of the road and the van ended up in the park."
Another neighbour, Andrew Rigby, added: "We heard a bang and we saw the police car in the park. We had an accident here just two weeks ago with a motorbike and a car. There have been a couple of accidents here." A police spokeswoman said Ms Torkington's car was hit by the van as it turned right onto Altrincham Road.
A bronze-coloured hatchback made the turn just moments before and officers are keen to trace this motorist.
A female officer, who was alone in the police van, suffered minor injuries and shock, and the spokeswoman confirmed that the incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
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Iain, Stretford (24/03/2007 at 20:28)
We used to meet at dinner times when we were 17/18 and hang out... I always fancied her cos she reminded me a bit of Tracey Ullman, she had a wicked sense of humour and there was a slight smokieness about her voice that was quite sexy
When I stopped working in town we kept in touch and used to meet up in Cheadle, usually the Railway or the White Hart. It was on a Sunday night outside the White Hart that I kissed her for the first time. It was like all my Christmas's had come at once
Mandy had passed her driving test so we used to go out places and when I had a spare ticket she'd come to the football, she being a United fan... these were the days before Fergie's reign had kicked in, before that first FA Cup win
Then she went to America to become an Nanny for a year.
We stayed in touch, writing regularly (no email then!) and met up again a few days after she returned. I remember sitting in the Beech Tree looking at the pictures of the road trip her and her friend had done across the country after finishing her time with the family she'd been put with
It was obvious though that she'd changed, she seemed to be more mature, and moved on...
I only saw her once again after that but I never forgot her - it's been almost 20 years but now I guess she'll always be forever 18
mint tee (22/07/2010 at 23:27)