The grief-stricken family of a mother-of-three killed in a collision with a fire engine have told of their sorrow.

Sharon Southgate-Hesling, a 37-year-old divorcee from Cottingley, died when a fire engine answering a 999 call was in collision with her SEAT Cordoba on the A650 near Nab Wood Crematorium on Thursday night. The call turned out to be a false alarm.

Her close-knit family paid tribute to a woman fondly remembered as a mum who adored children and whose home in Airedale Avenue was a playground for her own and other people's children.

Her sister Julie Southgate, of Bracken Bank, Keighley, is looking after Sharon's three children, Gareth, 16, a former pupil of Beckfoot Grammar School, Ben, 14, who attends Stoney Lee Middle School, and Sophie, three.

Yesterday, her devastated mother Hilary Whitaker, 56, of Malsis Road, Keighley, was due to fly home from Spain where she had been investigating the possibility of beginning a new life.

Another sister Elaine Southgate, of Baildon, said: "She used to be a secretary and took early retirement. She has always wanted to live abroad in sunnier climes and had been looking at living accommodation."

Julie, 38, of Bracken Bank, Keighley, said: "It has not sunk in yet. My mum is in total shock. You don't expect your kids to go before you. We don't know too much about what happened and will have to wait for the inquest.

"She was going to work at Abbey Lodge guest house in Shipley where she helped with preparing evening meals.

"We were told around 8pm on Thursday. My sister Jackie's husband Peter informed my mum and she immediately started trying to get a flight home. Sharon never woke up after the collision and died just after midnight at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

"I will always remember her laughing and smiling. You couldn't remember anything bad about her because there wasn't anything. We are all devastated.

"She would do anything for anybody. She was the salt of the earth. Her life revolved around her family. She was really bubbly, you never saw her down.

"It was kids, kids, kids and more kids. Her life was devoted to kids."

Born and brought up in Riddlesden, Sharon was educated at Swire Smith Middle School and Greenhead College, Keighley. After leaving school she worked as a machinist in Riddlesden until the birth of her eldest son Gareth.

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