Vicky Lovelace-Collins' family 'let down' over extradition

Vicky Lovelace-Collins, far left, had been preparing to do a charity skydive in memory of her father when she died

The family of a paramedic who died two years ago after a crash involving a suspect who has fled to Turkey say they have been "let down by the system".

Vicky Lovelace-Collins, 38, died on 7 September 2018, two days after her motorcycle was in a crash with a car in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

Her widow Naomi said her "patience is running out".

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it is trying to secure a return of a female suspect to the UK from Turkey.

Mrs Lovelace-Collins suffered fatal injuries close to her home in Lonsdale Road.

She was treated by colleagues from the East of England Ambulance Service, but died two days later in hospital.

Vicky Lovelace-Collins worked as a paramedic for the East of England Ambulance Service

Earlier this year, the CPS authorised a charge for causing death by careless driving against the suspect, who it says travelled to Turkey following the crash.

Mrs Lovelace-Collins' mother, Wendy Lovelace, said she cries every day for her "caring" daughter who "lit up a room as soon as she walked in".

"I think if we had justice for her I could move on a little bit," she said, "but I feel she's been brushed under the carpet and forgotten about."

Naomi Lovelace-Collins said: "I feel let down by the system.

"This woman is at liberty to spend time with her husband. I had to watch my wife die.

"She gets to spend time with her children. Wendy has lost a child. It's as though the system isn't protecting us."

Naomi Lovelace-Collins says she is "somewhat broken" since her wife's death

Prosecutor Natalie Carter, from the CPS, said: "We are continuing to try to secure the return of the driver to the UK, so relevant criminal proceedings can take place.

"We hope to meet with Ms Lovelace-Collins' family in the near future."

The Home Office has a policy of neither confirming or denying whether an extradition request has been made or received until an arrest has been made.