The mother of fatal accident victim Martha Hoopes has told how "she could not have been a better mother, daughter, sister, wife and aunt".

Devastated Martha Vining told Texas-based news organisation Thefacts.com: "She was the best that anybody could ask for. She had a great love for the Lord."

Police last night said their investigation was continuing into the crash which claimed the 39-year-old's life on Middle Road, Southampton, on Monday morning.

Mrs. Hoopes' nine-year-old daughter, her pillion passenger on the rental scooter, suffered several broken bones in the crash and was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, where she has been listed as recovering.

Last night, she was said to be set to be flown closer to home, thought to be to a Chicago hospital.

Thefacts.com said Mrs. Hoopes was also with her husband, Steven, and six-year-old son on a spring break in Bermuda from Illinois.

"Steven's devastated," family friend Richard Bellis is quoted as saying. "He was just madly in love with her. They were joined at the hip."

Mr. Bellis described Mrs. Hoopes' daughter as "a very lucky girl". Mrs. Hoopes, originally from Lake Jackson in Texas, moved to Illinois ten years ago, where she was a stay-at-home mom.

Last night, Police appealed for witnesses to contact P.c. Shantia Furbert at the roads policing unit on 295-0011.