HEARTBROKEN Pauline Ellis has come face to face with the teenage driver involved in the accident which killed her daughter.

Tormented by nightmares, Mrs Ellis, of The Tideway, Rochester, had to meet the 17-year-old driver after the accident which left Haleyanne Price dead.

The tragedy happened nearly 10 days ago when Haleyanne stepped out in front of the Ford Transit van at the top of Star Hill, Rochester.

But four days later, Mrs Ellis, 40, bravely faced the youth, of Dunkirk, near Faversham.

She said: "I kept dreaming that he was a monster and he was laughing at us.

"Every time I closed my eyes that's all I could see and I knew I had to put a face to it. He came to the house with his mum and his 15-year-old brother. I accept it wasn't his fault and he is really suffering.

"I hoped by meeting him it would help me and in turn, help him, which I think it did. He said it did."

The teenager brought flowers to the house and asked to pay his respects to Haleyanne, 18.

"He wanted to take some flowers down to her which he did and he just kept saying how sorry he was.

"His mum said she thought I would hate him, but I want people to know he is 100 per-cent innocent."

Mrs Ellis's sister, Susan O'Connell, said the boy needed to get on with his life.

"He was in a really bad way and so was his brother who was in the car at the time of the accident.

"But he is only 17. He has the rest of his life in front of him and we just hope he can eventually put it behind him."

Dozens of flowers and cards have been laid at the spot where she died.

A horse drawn carriage will leave the family home at midday this Thursday and travel around the Warren Wood estate, past the Thomas Aveling School in Arethusa Road where her friends will pay a silent tribute.

The funeral will then be held at 1pm at Medway crematorium, Blue Bell Hill.

Some of Haleyanne's favourite songs including Heaven Can Wait by Meatloaf and Christina Aguilera's Beautiful will be played.

Mrs Ellis has asked for donations, instead of flowers, to be sent to the PDSA veterinary charity on 01634 814353 or the school where a bench will stand in her memory.

Haleyanne aimed to to be a teacher Page 2