As you drive towards Maidstone on the A249, the silhouette of a pirouetting ballerina in the centre of a footbridge comes into view.

Underneath just two words are written: Jade's Crossing.

Many commuters driving under the bridge, which spans the A249 at Detling, may not know the terribly sad reason the structure was built and the tireless road safety campaigning which continued afterwards.

Twenty years ago today, eight-year-old Jade Hobbs and her grandma Margaret Kuwertz, 79, died while on their way to the shops, after walking across the dual carriageway, which was near their home in Pilgrims Way. Both were struck by a car.

Jade mum's Caroline was in Canterbury doing some last minute Christmas shopping when she received a phone call informing her of the terrible news.

In a cruel twist, years before the death of their daughter Mrs Hobbs and husband Paul had held a protest outside their house in an attempt to draw attention to the dangers of the A249, which bordered the family home and divides one part of the village from the other.

They were joined by parish councillors and villagers, equally worried that pedestrians were taking their lives in their hands as they attempted to cross.

The group was convinced there were to be more deaths at the accident blackspot, which had already claimed a number of lives.

After the double tragedy, Mr and Mrs Hobbs mounted a campaign to raise money to provide a safe crossing.

A charity, The Jade Crossing Appeal, was set up and tens of thousands was raised by local school children and members of the community for the bridge.

Within 18 months, campaigners had raised more than £100,000 and after much lobbying, Kent County Council (KCC) agreed to pay for the £1.18million bridge.

Some £75,000 was given by the charity towards building the crossing, while Maidstone Borough Council also contributed £25,000.

The creation of the bridge wasn't smooth sailing. In January 2002 KCC admitted that its contractors had made a huge error when calculating the cost of the scheme.

Nine developers bid for the bridge contract, but even the cheapest tender for the work was £400,000 more than KCC's original estimate of about £660,000.

However, KCC promised to make up the shortfall and the bridge was officially opened in August 2002, a tearful Mrs Hobbs cutting the ribbon with Jade's brother Ben, then aged 14. Jade was one of five siblings.

The charity's patron Shaun Williamson, who played Barry Evans in Eastenders, was one of many to first walk across the 48m span of steel.

Mrs Hobb's courage and determination was praised by KCC at the time. Sarah Hohler, the cabinet member for strategic planning said: "Without that courage and determination, we would not have had such prompt construction of this bridge."

A silhouette of a ballerina was placed in the centre of the bridge, as the little girl loved to dance and a memorial plaque was also erected nearby.

As well as the bridge, within the first year of the East Borough Primary School pupil's death, the Hobbs had also forced KCC to introduce a 50mph speed limit on part of the dual carriageway, add pedestrian warning signs and a pedestrian walkway in the central reservation.

While many might have felt their mission was complete, Mrs Hobbs was determined to continue her work by spreading road safety messages at schools and colleges across Kent.

She renamed the campaign the Jade Road Safety Fund.

In March 2003, Mrs Hobbs was presented with a national award at the Mirror's Pride of Britain Award.

She was among 17 award recipients both young and old who had shown great courage, triumph over adversity or bravery.

After collecting her award from Chris Tarrant, presenter of ITV's Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? Mrs Hobbs said: "I really felt proud to be among so many brave and wonderful people," she said.

"I accepted the award on behalf of everybody who helped.

"If everyone here hadn't done their bit we would never have achieved what we did."

"I hope we will be able to make a difference to the way children grow up."

One of the first projects completed by Mrs Hobbs' road safety group was a video called 'If Only', which was supported by the police and sent to every secondary school and youth group in the county.

The video spelled out the dangers teenagers face when first behind the wheel of a car.

'I hope we will be able to make a difference to the way children grow up...'

An appeal was launched in 2003 to help the campaign spread its vital message, with many community groups and businesses putting on raffles and events.

In May 2003, Mrs Hobbs led what was at the time described as the largest Walking Bus ever, taking place in Canterbury and including 11 primary schools.

Over the years, the fund donated thousands to help expand walking bus projects, where children walk to school under safe supervision.

Mrs Hobbs also leant her voice to other road safety campaigns, such an effort to get lights installed at junction 3 of the M20, led by parents of a man who died after a crash.

After years of championing initiatives, The fund closed in 2014, with the remaining cash of £9,000 given to the KM Walk to School Campaign, which would go towards educating youngsters about road safety.

It had raised more than £133,000 over 10 years, £75,000 of which went towards the bridge.

Ten years on from the accident, the family decided it was time to leave Maidstone.

Mrs Hobbs, who moved abroad, said at the time: "It is painful living here. I don’t think you realise how hard it is staying around Maidstone until you go away on holiday and you find peace - not a painless peace but a different sort of peace."

"We have had 23 years in this house and five children, so it is very, very emotional."

Jade's room was cleared away, with special mementos kept by the family.

The rest of Jade’s toys were given to a friend’s little girl who could play with them as the eight-year-old once did.

Before the family moved, however, 18 balloons were released from the top of the Fremlin Walk shopping centre, in the direction of Detling, to mark what would have been Jade's 18th birthday.