Mum pays tribute to ‘beautiful’ girl who died on M5

The inquest opening at Wells Town Hall heard Tamzin, who was a student, got out of the car and crossed the road before climbing the crash barrier.

She was hit by a vehicle driven by a member of the public travelling on the southbound carriageway and sustained fatal head, neck and chest injuries.

Coroner's officer Ben Batley told the hearing: "Tamzin was a passenger under arrest in a police vehicle travelling on the northbound carriageway on the M5 when it stopped for reasons yet to be established."

Mr Batley described how Tamzin then got out of the car before going across the northbound lane, climbing the barrier and making her way on to the southbound lane where she was struck.

Tamzin was pronounced dead at 23:10 GMT and identified by fingerprint comparison.

"Her injuries were not survivable and Tamzin was declared deceased where she was found on the motorway," Mr Batley said.

"Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) inquiries are ongoing as to the circumstances of the collision and how Tamzin came to be where she was found."