THE heartbroken family of a 13-year-old girl who died in a crash near Carlisle have paid tribute to her life.

Ingrid Messenger lost her life in a three-vehicle collision outside The Crown Inn, Broadfield Common, near Ivegill, on Monday.

"Ingrid was a beautiful and happy sister, daughter, granddaughter, cousin and a friend to many," her family said in a statement.

"She was polite and full of vitality with a "give it a go" attitude and fun to be in the company of. She had a very bright future ahead of her.

"Her untimely passing has left us all devastated.

"She will remain a vivid image in our minds, be deeply loved in our hearts and desperately missed for evermore.”

Ingrid was a back-seat passenger in a silver Citroen car.

Her mum, who was driving, was airlifted to hospital in Newcastle with critical injuries, though is now said to be stable.

Ingrid's 14-year-old sister was also in the vehicle, as a front-seat passenger.

She suffered more minor injuries and was taken to Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary.

The other vehicles involved were a Landrover Defender and a Mercedes Sprinter van.

The Landrover driver, a 45-year-old man from west Cumbria, was arrested on suspicion of driving offences and perverting the course of justice. He has since been released under investigation.

Both he and the van driver, a 60-year-old from Lancashire, were treated at the scene for shock and minor injuries.

The crossroads was closed for over six hours as a result of the collision.