A DEVASTATED family have paid heartfelt tribute to a “beautiful lady with a contagious smile” after a horrific crash.

Susan Herbert, of Sydney Street, Brightlingsea, died after she drove her car into the back of a lorry at high speed.

The crash happened in a layby of the A120 near Elmstead Market at 1.20am on October 12 last year.

An inquest at Chelmsford Coroner’s Court heard Mrs Herbert, 36, had struggled with depression.

Days before the crash, she was taken to the accident and emergency department at Colchester Hospital following an overdose.

She was discharged that day.

PC Katherine Burke, of Essex Police’s forensic collision investigation unit, said Mrs Herbert was likely driving at speeds of up to 95mph when the impact happened.

The car struck a lorry which had arrived from overseas and was carrying several motor homes.

The inquest heard the driver had parked in a layby, turned off his lights and gone to sleep.

A toxicology report carried out after the crash found no traces of alcohol or drugs in Mrs Herbert’s system.

PC Burke found it was unlikely Mrs Herbert had drifted into the layby after falling asleep.

She said: “Although I cannot say why Mrs Herbert drove into the layby, in the absence of any other reasonable explanation it seems there was another factor or combination of factors which contributed to this.”

Senior coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray recorded an open conclusion and found Mrs Herbert died of multiple injuries.

She said: “I have considered suicide.

“Having regard to how she had been feeling, having regard to what seems to be the deliberateness and purpose to how she drove.

“But I have decided there isn’t sufficient evidence for that.”

Mrs Herbert, who is believed to have been a mother of four, is remembered fondly by her family.

In a statement, they said: “We would like to thank the police and ambulance service and all the support we have had from close friends going through this very hard time.

“Susan was a beautiful, kind and loving lady with a contagious smile and laugh. We all miss her terribly.”