TRIBUTES have been paid to a young mother and a teenage boy who died in a car crash.

Mother of three Ricarda Chapman, 25, and 17-year-old Lewis Gardner-Smith both died when their car crashed into a garden in Lower Beeding last week.

Ricarda, of Covert Mead, Handcross, was known by her friends as Cardi and left behind three children aged from two to eight and partner Aron after the tragic crash on April 18.

She had worked at the Chequers Pub in Slaugham for several years where colleagues have described their devastation at the news of her death.

The pub's landlord said: "It's an absolute tragedy. Everyone feels for her kids.

"It's heartbreaking.

"She was very well respected and very well liked and very hard working."

Friend Philip Baughan described her as a "true friend". He said on Facebook: "Cardi Chapman x so special and beautiful lady , R.I.P angel xx you will be so so missed by so many xx true friend xx

Sussex Police asked for Lewis's parents Elaine and Wayne to be left to grieve in peace, but friends and family described him as an "awesome young man" and "a diamond in the making" and

Tamsin Piper Rowles said on Facebook: "Lewis was. Such a great character. A child a parent can be so very proud of. A diamond in the making. Such a terrible terrible loss.

Jason Rae said: "An awesome young man who had all the qualities of his truly amazing parents."

Zoe Hemes wrote: "I was looking at this picture last night. Everything feels so broken and unreal."

And Alana Wise said Lewis was "such a lovely young man".

Police are still keen to talk to anyone who saw what happened or who may have noticed the black Vauxhall Meriva Cardi was driving shortly before the crash on the A281 near the junction with Picts lane on Tuesday, April 18.

They are asked to report details online at sussex.police.uk/contact-us/response-to-appeal/ or call 101, quoting Operation Waddington.