THE mum of tragic teenager Cassie McCord has paid tribute to her.

On Wednesday, the 16-year-old died of her injuries sustained after being crushed by a car in Colchester's Head Street on Monday morning.

Cassie, who was born in Hemel Hempstead and was raised in the St Albans area, moved to Colchester in 2006 with her mother.

She went to the Gilberd School last September she started studies at Colchester Sixth Form College where she was studying her AS levels in Law, Geography, Sociology, Communication and Culture, and Citizenship.

Mother Jackie described her as a typical 16-year-old girl who loved fashion and shopping, and worked at Marks and Spencer from October and through the Christmas period to raise money.

Cassie leaves behind her mother Jackie, father Graham, and her brother Sam, as well as Jackie’s partner John.

Jackie said: "She loved her family, and spending time with them, particularly with her boyfriend Dan, brother Sam, and her cousin Eleanor. We have many happy memories from family holidays which she loved so much.

"She seemed to be able to do anything she put her mind to. Her family and friends will so desperately miss her.”

Her family have found some comfort in the fact that the lives of others will have been improved by Cassie’s wish to be an organ donor.