A 21-year-old guide leader died in hospital two days after a lorry smashed into the back of her car as she headed over the Dartford Crossing, an inquest heard.

Abi Harvey was travelling in lane one of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge and was on the Kent side of the River Thames when the HGV struck her Audi A1 at 4.30am.

The route was closed for nine hours and a 25-year-old man from Croydon was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He has now been released under investigation pending further inquiries.

Miss Harvey, of Basildon, Essex, suffered a traumatic brain injury in the crash and was flown to King’s College Hospital, London, where she died on Sunday, November 5.

Since her death tributes have flooded in on social media, with friends describing her as “a beautiful soul who was taken too soon.”

Friend Anna Stone posted: “No amount of goodbyes will make these devastating times any easier for us to swallow. You had enough kindness and love within you to share with us all. Your memory will live on in our hearts forever. I’m just fortunate enough to say you were the best friend I could ever of wished to have had.”

More than £1,000 has been raised for King’s College Hospital’s Critical Care Unit in Miss Harvey’s memory. To donate, visit the fundraising page.