Family mourn airport crash victim

Ms Sommerville had planned to move in with her partner

The family of a Sunderland woman killed in a minibus crash near Manchester Airport have spoken of their loss.

Doreen Sommerville, 43, died along with two other women, three men and a nine-year-old boy as the minibus was being driven to the airport from a nearby hotel on Thursday.

Ms Sommerville and her partner of two-and-a-half years, Ian Jobson, had been on their way to Mexico for a holiday,

The planned the trip to celebrate their decision to move in together when they returned home to Sunderland.

Mr Jobson, 39, survived the crash with minor injuries.

The family of Ms Sommerville - a mother of two grown-up children - said she would be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Luggage trailer

The accident happened at about 0540 BST on Thursday, close to junction four, as the minibus from a hotel in Didsbury, Manchester, took holidaymakers to the airport.

Three members of the same family from Herefordshire were among the dead, including the nine-year-old.

His 16-year-old brother survived the crash.

A woman and a teenage girl are still critically ill in hospital.

Police are examining CCTV pictures to try to establish what caused a minibus crash.

Greater Manchester Police are working on the theory that the driver, who was killed, lost control when he clipped a Toyota Carina he was overtaking.

The minibus - which was pulling a luggage trailer - overturned, ripping off its roof as it hit a crash barrier.