A woman who died following a horrific smash on the A13 was today named as Roberta Whelan.

The 36-year-old mum, who was from the Mayland area, was married with two children.

She was travelling towards London in a Ford Fiesta when she was involved in a collision with a recovery truck near the Pitsea flyover.

The car spun around hitting a Ford Focus before coming to rest in the central reservation area at around 7.15pm on Wednesday.

Firefighters and ambulance crews battled to cut the woman out of her car but she died shortly after being admitted to Basildon Hospital.

The couple who were travelling in the Ford Focus with their two-year-old child were said to be shaken.

The truck driver had injuries to his chest and back but was not detained in hospital.

Published Friday, March 22, 2002