A WOMAN who was due to be a bridesmaid at the wedding of a Preston nurse, killed in a bus crash in South Africa, is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her best friend.

Joanne Bingham, a staff nurse at Preston Hospital's medical assessment unit, said she is devastated by the death of Christine Rowe who died while on holiday with her fianc Neil Pike.

The couple, who recently set up home in Freckleton, near Preston, were travelling near the capital Johannesburg on New Year's Eve when the accident happened. They were among eight British tourists who died when their minibus overturned as the driver swerved to avoid a pedestrian.

Joanne, who met Christine six years ago while studying for a nursing degree at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, said she was devastated by the news.

"I'm shocked, very shocked," she said. "She was only due back off holiday last Sunday so it's only just starting to become real." "She was a well loved person and very dedicated to her work."

This year was expected to be one of the happiest times for Chorley hospital staff nurse Christine, 30, and Neil, 35, a computer engineer at BAE Systems, Warton, near Preston, as the couple planned to marry.

Joanne was going to be a bridesmaid at their wedding on June 4. "We already had our dresses and all the plans were in place," she said.

But she claims Christine, a part-time Territorial Army soldier, was excited about her South African trip which came just months after the friends had been on a holiday to Canada's Rocky Mountains.

Joanne said: "We spent two weeks riding on horseback, just me and Christine, through the Rocky Mountains on a trail riding holiday. It was absolutely fantastic.

"We saw and did so many things we thought we'd never do. It really was the trip of a lifetime."

"She got really excited about the trip to South Africa. She said she couldn't believe she would have two holidays of a lifetime in one year."