THE family of a young mother from Tavistock who tragically died following a road accident have asked friends to bring photographs to her funeral to help keep her memory alive for her two young sons.

Kayleigh Gill, 22, died in hospital on January 18, four days after being seriously injured in a collision on the M5 near Exeter on her way back from a family holiday in Egypt. She leaves behind her fiancé Dom Evans, and young sons aged four and two.

Dom has paid tribute to Kayleigh, saying: ‘She was the best mum, fiancé and friend anyone could have asked for, the love of my life and the most kind-hearted and caring woman I’ve ever known, always putting everyone else before herself, she will be missed by so many. We must cherish the memories that we have had with her.’

Kayleigh’s parents Steve and Sarah, who live in Tavistock, said their daughter’s death had left ‘a huge hole in our hearts’. ‘Kayleigh was our first daughter and we couldn’t have asked for a better daughter,’ said Steve.

‘She brought so much joy to myself and Sarah, we are so proud of her. There will never be a day that goes by when we won’t think of Kayleigh, she has left a huge hole in our hearts and will be sorely missed by the whole family. Her little sister Rosie misses her deeply.’

Kayleigh, who is one of two brothers and two sisters, grew up in the town and went to Tavistock College, where she had many friends. They have shared memories on an online fundraising page set up to help pay for her funeral.

This has already surpassed the £6,000 goal to raise £7,870, with the money left over to go to Kayleigh’s sons.

Abby Grinstead, fiancée of Kayleigh’s brother Sean, said: ‘She was very much a big part of all our lives and it is so weird not seeing her or hearing her anymore.

‘They had just been on holiday to Egypt when this happened — they go there every year. Since then we’ve all been muddling along together. Dom has had to be mum and dad to the boys. I know that Kayleigh will be looking down, watching over them.’

After Kayleigh’s death, she said, the family had gone ahead with a planned fourth birthday party for her eldest son and found that she had already made all the arrangements.

‘She had even booked the cake and we had to go and pick it up,’ said Abby.

‘The boys were so much her world and she didn’t ever have much time to herself. I think most people will remember her from the Chinese restaurants in Tavistock, she worked in all three of them at different times.

‘She had also worked at the Apple Tree B&B in Tavistock and she had just started as a carer at Tavy Care. That showed her caring side. She was always caring for other people.

‘She was a very bubbly person, never grumpy ever, even with two little boys to look after. She had lots of close friends.’

She said that the family were asking people to bring along a photograph of themselves with Kayleigh to her funeral, which will take place at 1pm at St Andrew’s Church in Whitchurch on Wednesday, February 20, to be followed by a wake at the Bedford Hotel in Tavistock at 4pm.

‘The family are going to put the photographs together to make a photo album for the boys,’ said Abby.