GRIEVING friends and family have paid emotional tributes to a 14-year-old girl who was killed in a road accident near her home.

James Hore

GRIEVING friends and family have paid emotional tributes to a 14-year-old girl who was killed in a road accident near her home.

Friends of Jordan Bell gathered yesterday afternoon close to the scene of the collision in Layer Road, Colchester, to share their memories of her.

The Alderman Blaxill School pupil was heading to meet a friend and was just a few hundred metres from her home when she was in collision with a car on Friday.

The driver - a 27-year-old local man - was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs. He has been released on bail.

During the weekend many stopped to lay floral tributes to the youngster who loved playing music everywhere she went.

Speaking to the EADT, friends of the only child said she was “down to earth” and “never stopped smiling”.

And in an emotional tribute, Jordan's parents, Steve and Michelle Bell, who run a driving school, said: “Our beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed daughter. The sunshine of our lives.

“So full of spirit and generosity, smiling, laughing, will remain forever in our hearts and will be missed and loved by all who knew her. Love always our darling.”

Friend Peyton Bradshaw, 15, said: “We used to go to Montgomery Primary School together. When I found out I just did not believe it.”

Her friend, Holi Campbell, 14, said: “I have only been at Alderman Blaxill for a few months, but was close to her and sat next to her in lessons.

“She was just a very funny girl, she was always listening to her music really loud. She loved humbugs and chewing gum.

“She loved hanging out with her mates and was on Bebo and MSN and we all used to go into town a lot together.”

The friends said Jordan loved all sorts of music, including the Rolling Stones, and could often be seen dancing around.

Holi said Jordan's friends were planning to ask for the desks in their classes to be arranged into a square, so that there was not a gap on the table where Jordan would have been sat.

On Saturday afternoon a group of about her friends gathered to talk about their memories of their friend, who they knew as “Jord”.

Speaking for the group, Peyton said: “She was so down to earth and she never stopped smiling. She was really bubbly and always tried to make sure that everyone was happy.

“She always had a smile on her face and she never had a bad word to say about anyone.

“We were a really close group of friends. She always had her iPod on and had the speakers for it and would turn them up to embarrass us in the street.”

At the scene of the accident, the mounds of flowers mounted up as the weekend went on, along with balloons and a teddy bear.

Jordan's friend Andrew Stewart, of Colchester, said he could not believe it happened.

The 15-year-old said: “I have known her for about three years as we were in the same form group together.

“We were just really good friends, we would go to the park and hang out. I was so upset when I found out. She will be missed a lot and we will never forget her.”

At the scene one of Jordan's neighbours stopped to look at the flowers and was in tears.

He said: “She was a beautiful young girl and had everything ahead of her.

“Her parents are devastated. We only found out this morning when friends of the family came round.

“She had a very bubbly personality. She was a daddy's girl and he is in tatters.”

The driver of the car involved in the accident has been released on unconditional bail to re-appear at Colchester police station in May.

Layer Road was closed for about three-and-half hours while road police investigated the accident at about 4.50pm.