The grieving daughter of an elderly woman who was knocked down and killed by a car has told the driver not to blame themselves.

Toni Rolls, of South Coast Road, Telscombe Cliffs, was killed seconds after getting off a bus on the A259 Buckle by-pass in Seaford on November 20.

It is believed the 83-year-old had realised she was travelling the wrong way and was crossing the road to get to the correct stop when she was hit at 5.20pm.

Her only daughter, Eccy de Jonge, paid tribute to her mother describing her as “her best friend”.

She added: “We used to speak to each other on the phone everyday and she was always texting me. I’ve got so many fantastic memories.

“This was a dreadful accident and I want the driver to know that I in no way hold him responsible.”

Mrs Rolls was born on a barge in the Netherlands and was just nine years old when Germany invaded in 1939.

Her daughter added: “She used to tell how she was playing with one of her friends when the entire German army approached.

"They asked for directions to the nearest town and they ended up sending them half-way around the forest.”

The war had a huge impact on her and influenced her pacifist stance, which she held for the rest of her life.

Dr de Jonge explained her other favourite story came from the liberation of the Dutch town of Groningen.

While standing at a window, with the Canadian troops advancing on the German trenches, an Axis soldier frantically signalled for her to ‘get down’. Seconds later the soldier was dead and a shell had shattered the window she was standing at.

She moved to England following the war and worked as a nurse in various hospitals.

In the eighties she fulfilled a lifelong dream of living by the sea and moved to Telscombe Cliffs.

Refusing to let age beat her she bought a campervan and travelled around Europe for two-and-a-half-years. Then at the age of 60, the seven stone woman took up the Japanese martial art Aikido – and received her black belt ten years later.

She was also well-known in the local music scene and could often be found at the Green Door Store venue in Brighton.

Dr de Jonge said: “She didn’t like to think that just because she was old she couldn’t have fun.”

The family is planning to hold a small private cremation. Anyone who wants to attend should contact Dr de Jonge through The Argus. Email ben.james@theargus.co.uk.