THE parents of a woman killed in a car crash near Upton-upon-Severn told this week how she had only just realised her "lifetime dream" of becoming a hairdresser.

Twenty two-year-old Cheryl Lewis was in a sports car being driven by her fiance, Paul Kitsull, along the A4104 on Saturday (December 30) night when it overturned and hit a barn wall at about 10pm.

Miss Lewis, who shared a home in Wells Road, Malvern, with Mr Kitsull, 31, was thrown through the windscreen.

Her parents Michael and Ruth Lewis, of Assarts Road, described her as an outgoing person who loved parties and 1960s music, and someone who had a natural affinity with children.

"Cheryl was captivating, thoughtful and, with her bubbly personality, she could light up the room," Mr Lewis said.

"She made any atmosphere a happy one, no matter how dull or unhappy the day was.

"She loved her music and dancing, and had a natural charisma in front of the camera."

Mrs Lewis added: "She was celebrating her new full-time position at the local hairdresser's, Smiles, which was her lifetime dream career.

"It's impossible to say how important she was to our life and still will be. We will always be holding her close in our hearts."

"Christine (Cheryl's youngest sister) isn't coping very well," she said. "None of us are. You just have to keep going."

Sylvia Miles, owner of Smiles Hairstyles, where Cheryl worked, said: "Cheryl was a lovely girl, very hard-working and a pleasure to work with. She will be greatly missed.

"She only worked here a matter of months but she was so positive it felt as though she had been here years."

Mr Kitsull's parents, of Albert Road North, also paid tribute to the couple this week.

Remembering Paul, his father Michael said: "He was very familiar to everyone and everybody loved him. We still can't believe it."

He also spoke of his son's passion for the vintage red Mazda RX7 he was driving.

"He loved that car," he said. "He got it from somewhere in Coventry for £200 and by the time he'd finished with it he had it valued at £6,000. It was the only one in this area."

Paul's mother, Barbara, added: "He was a loving and caring lad, a very good son, and she was a lovely girl.

Mr Kitsull leaves a three-year-old son, Michael, by an ex-partner.

According to emergency services, neither of the couple was wearing a seatbelt prior to the accident.

Fifteen firefighters from Upton, Malvern and Worcester worked to cut Mr Kitsull free from the wreckage. Both he and Miss Lewis were taken by ambulance to Ronkswood Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

An inquest was opened on Monday (December 31) and adjourned to a date still to be fixed.

Mr Kitsull had lived in Malvern all his life and worked at warehouse firm CKS in Welland.

Miss Lewis' funeral takes place at Great Malvern Cemetery on Friday (January 11) at 12.30pm while Mr Kitsull's will take place at St Matthias' church in Malvern Link at noon on Thursday (January 10).

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident.