Officer who died on duty parents’ ‘greatest joy’

The parents of a teenage police officer who died from injuries suffered as she responded to a crash have described her as "our greatest pride and our greatest joy".

Jess Turnbull, 19, had been sent to the scene of a collision on the A189 Spine Road in Cramlington, Northumberland, at 23:10 BST on 8 June.

She was hurt when a Mercedes unconnected to that incident struck a marked police car and she died in hospital two days later.

A 73-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and released on bail.

In a statement released by Northumbria Police, Janice and Andy Turnbull said they were "utterly devastated" by the death of their "remarkable" daughter who had been following in her father's footsteps by joining the force in September.

"Jess was our only child and from the moment she came into our lives she brought happiness, laughter, and love into every day. The hole [her death] leaves in our lives is impossible to put into words.

"Jess and her mum, Janice, shared a bond that was truly special. They were not only mother and daughter but best friends.

"They loved spending time together, whether that was shopping, chatting for hours or simply enjoying each other's company.

The shared countless memories that Janice will treasure forever.

"From a young age, Jess was full of energy, determination and kindness.

She loved sport and spent much of her childhood playing football and competing as a swimmer.

"Her passion for helping others was evident even then and she later volunteered her time coaching young children in football, encouraging them to believe in themselves and enjoy the game she loved so much."

Turnbull had been together with her boyfriend, Dan, for a year with the pair described as "inseparable".