A mum died in a horror road smash just two days after spending a “perfect” Christmas with her family.
Tania Manka, 46, had just enjoyed the first festive celebration with her family since her husband Robert died in 2006.
She was driving to her daughter Lauren Furber’s home for a post-Christmas meal with her partner Shayne Witts, 29, when their silver Peugeot collided with a Mitsubishi.
Both Tania and Shayne died in the smash, which happened in heavy wind and rain near Lydney, Glos., last Friday.
Distraught Lauren, 24, found out about the smash on Facebook, just days after spending Christmas Day with her uncle Tim, and siblings Luke, 26, and Tashie, 28.
Lauren said: “Mum was an amazing woman, always bubbly and wanting to help others and put them first.
“To have had the family together again for Christmas was a special moment.
“Mum was meant to come to dinner at 5pm last Friday. When she didn’t turn up, I knew something was wrong.”
Lauren saw posts about the accident near both their homes on the A48, near Lydney in the Forest of Dean, on Facebook.
Her worst fears were realised when she went to the police station with Shayne’s mum.
She added: “When I found out a silver Peugeot had been involved in the accident earlier in the day I panicked. I had an inkling something was not right.
“Things began to fall into place. I went to the scene and a police officer said it sounded like my mum.”
Shayne also died when the pair smashed into a Mitsubishi driven by a 72-year-old woman who sustained life-threatening injuries and remains in a serious condition.
Lauren was yesterday (Thurs) bracing herself to tell her daughter Rubie-Louise, five, that her beloved Nanny had died.
She added: “Rubie-Louise is a real nanny’s girl, it will be very difficult for her.
“Everything revolved around Nanny. If I told her off, she would go to Nanny. I spoke to my mum every day, we were very close.
“It is hard to try and deal with what has happened.
“Mum and I relied on each other for everything in our day-to-day lives. She was my rock.”
There have been 52 casualties on the A48 in just three years, according to roadside signs that warn drivers about the dangers of the major route.
