An 18-year-old woman who died in a motorcycle crash near Helston on Sunday had only recently become engaged and was saving up to buy her first house.

Charlotte Rees, known to everyone as Lottie, died when the black Honda 125 motorbike she was riding was in a collision with a Toyota Landcruiser on the road past RNAS Culdrose.

Despite being airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro via the coastguard helicopter, Lottie died as a result of her injuries, just nine days before her 19th birthday.

Yesterday her heartbroken family paid tribute to their "amazingly special" daughter.

Her father Richard Rees told the Helston Packet: "She was amazingly special person who brought love and laughter to everyone she met.

"Everyone is overwhelmed and in shock by the whole thing."

He said the family, which included her mum Hilary Shaw and sister Rachel, had been inundated with cards and messages saying how special Lottie was, which she would have loved.

Just six months ago Lottie became engaged to boyfriend Ethan Blowers, a hairdresser at Alley Barbers in Helston.

She had recently moved to Crowntown, to live with her mum so that she could start saving to buy a house.

As a child Lottie attended Breage Primary School and subsequently Helston Community College, living in Breage and then Porthleven.

In recent times she had been working at RNAS Culdrose as a waitress in the naval base mess.

An animal lover, her Instagram account shows her pictured with a bearded dragon, snake and dog.

Her interest in bikes began relatively recently and she got her A1 motorcycle licence last autumn.

Tragically, her last Instagram post was of her motorbike, posted on Friday - just two days before her death.

In the post she wrote: "Riding my beast today was the best feeling! Don’t think I can go back to cars now."

Her Facebook page has since been changed to "Remembering Charlotte Rees (Lottie)", with the words: "We hope people who love Charlotte will find comfort in visiting her profile to remember and celebrate her life."

Police were called to the A3083 just after 12.45pm on Sunday, following the collision.

The road was closed for just under five hours while emergency services worked at the scene and investigations were carried out.

Diversions were put in place via Gweek, causing long delays on the narrow lanes. Police have since thanked members of the public for their patience.

Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact police via 101@dc.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting log number 424 of the 22/04/18.