FORMER university tutors of a young midwife have today paid touching tributes after she was killed in a horror crash.

Hannah Seeley was returning from the West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds, on Sunday night when her Ford Fiesta was involved in a collision with a VW Golf on the A143 in Pakenham.

Miss Seeley, who was 23 and due to marry later this year, graduated from University Campus Suffolk in Ipswich in 2010, gaining a professional qualification as a midwife.

Haz Hughes, Midwifery Lecturer and Hannah’s personal tutor during her course at UCS, said: “Hannah was a very special person. Her smile and personality brought a special beauty to all that she did. Her zest for life, her kindness to others, her love and commitment to everything she did are an example to us all.”

Carol Smith, head of School of Nursing and Midwifery at UCS, added: “UCS would like to send its condolences to the family and friends of Hannah Seeley. Our thoughts are with those who knew and loved Hannah, she will be sadly missed.”

Her parents Kevin and Karen were too distressed to talk but family members said they were “incredibly proud of what she had done in her life”.

Relatives, friends and neighbours were comforting Mr and Mrs Seeley, who live in a semi-detached house next door to where Miss Seeley lived in Sturgeon Way, Stanton. They said the couple were “left feeling raw and in shock” at the devastating loss but were “incredibly proud” of what their daughter had achieved after graduating from UCS.

She was engaged to Mark Wade, who lives in nearby Wattisfield, and the couple were planning to marry in September.

Hannah was a former pupil at Thurston Community College, Stanton Middle School and Stanton Primary School and news of her death stunned many residents in the village where she lived and former students and pupils of the college and schools.

A message left on Facebook read: “Words can’t describe the sadness I’m feeling today. You will be so sorely missed by so many people, me being one of them. You were my first best friend and I will never forget those memories. Rest in peace, you beautiful, wonderful, lovely, lovely girl xxxxxx.”

Another said simply: “Just can’t believe how cruel life can be.”

Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash which involved a 21-year-old man who was driving the black VW Golf.

He was last night being treated in the West Suffolk Hospital. He had suffered leg injuries and his condition was said to be serious, but not life-threatening. No-one else was injured in the collision.

A section of the road was closed and diversions were put in place while specialist investigators carried out their inquiries and it did not reopened until about 3.45am, yesterday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pc Steve Griggs, of the Serious Collision Investigation Team at Police Headquarters, on 101.