The husband of a young mother of two has paid tribute to his wife following her tragic death.

Steven Welsh thanked his wife Stephanie, 32, for the love she had shared with him and their two sons. Mrs Welsh of King Street, Silsden, was killed last Thursday when the car she was driving was in collision with a truck on the A65 at Draughton between Skipton and Addingham.

Firefighters cut her free from the wreckage and rushed her by air ambulance to Airedale Hospital, where she later died.

Mr Welsh said: "Stephanie was one of the warmest, most fun-loving, fun people you could wish to meet.

"Her role as a mother and wife was without fault. If I had the chance to say two words to her they would be 'thank you', for her love, friendship and support."

The couple had married at St Stephen's Church in Steeton in June 2003 where their two sons Aiden and Joshua acted as page boys.

Mr Welsh said his wife's two loves had been family and her work in Steeton's Airedale General Hospital where she had worked as a health care support worker.

"She was coming up to finishing her training after which she would have been a qualified nurse working in the operating theatres at Airedale Hospital," said Mr Welsh.

"She was so happy doing this work," he said.

Mr Welsh said: "I believe that anyone who knew Steph properly will know what a privilege it was to have known her and how much she will be missed."

Helene Barnes, theatres manager at Airedale Hospital, said Stephanie would be greatly missed by all the staff in the department.

She said: "She was always smiling and laughing and was the life and soul of any evening out. She made the most of her life, loved her work and was very, very proud of her husband and her two boys"

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident which took place at the eastern end of the A65 Draughton bypass. Mrs Welsh was driving a blue Renault Laguna and the HGV involved was a Scania lorry.

The accident happened at 11am on Thursday January 20.

Any witnesses to the smash are asked to telephone (01423) 539326.