A WELL-respected nurse has been killed in a motorbike crash on the motorway at Whitefield.

Senior sister Angela Townsend (47), a mother-of-three from Radcliffe, died instantly on Sunday afternoon when she and her boyfriend, Bill Penfold, were thrown from his Honda motorbike when it was in collision with a Toyota Yaris on the M60 at junction 17.

Mr Penfold (34) was taken to hospital with serious injuries but is expected to make a full recovery. The driver of the Yaris, a 35-year-old man from Radcliffe, was not injured, but was treated for shock.

Mrs Townsend's mum, Veronica McCarthy, of Sultan Street, Bury, described her daughter as a loving, caring woman who lived for nursing and her children Darrell (27), James (18) and 16-year-old Kelly.

She said: "Angela was seeking a divorce and had been seeing Bill for the last two years. That time was the happiest she had ever been and she had everything to live for. They were planning on moving in together and possibly getting married.

"Her life was cruelly taken in its prime. Bill is devastated."

The former St Gabriel's RC High School pupil lived with two of her three children in William Street, Radcliffe. Since last year she had worked as a senior sister at Bealey Community Hospital in Radcliffe, after more than 20 years of nursing at Bury and Fairfield General Hospitals.

Mrs McCarthy suffers from diabetes and would receive a phone call from Angela on a daily basis to see if she was well and to wish her good night.

"I will miss those calls," said Mrs McCarthy. "Angela was a beautiful, caring young woman who loved being a nurse and helping people get better.

"She was returning home with Bill after enjoying a day out when the accident happened. From what I have been told by the police, Angela was killed instantly. I am just glad she didn't suffer."

An inquest will be held to establish how Mrs Townsend died and her funeral will take place early next week at St Marie's RC Church in Bury.