Tributes to Ecuador crash victim

Ms Pincock was a former school prefect

Tributes have been paid to the Somerset teenager killed with four other British tourists in a bus crash in Ecuador.

Lizzie Pincock, 19, who had just left Taunton School, died in the collision with a lorry as she travelled from the capital Quito to the coast.

Twelve Britons, a French national and two Ecuadorians all suffered injuries.

Lizzie's family said they had no regrets over the trip and she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She died doing what she wanted, they said.

"We don't want anyone to be sad, but to feel lucky that they knew her," a statement read.

She was an outstanding leader and had an exceptional future before her Head master Dr Newton

"So many people commented on her smile and laugh, and we want people to remember her with a big grin on her face and a cup of tea in her hand.

"She was so charismatic and people were drawn to her."

Ms Pincock, a former prefect, was described as a "distinguished pupil" with an "exceptional future before her" by her school.

Gap-year students Indira Swann, 18, of Berkshire, Ms Pincock, Rebecca Logie, 19, of Lancashire, and Emily Sadler, 19, of Hertfordshire, all died in the crash on Saturday.

Travel company guide Sarah Howard, 26, from Cheshire, was also killed.

'Distinguished pupil'

Dr John Newton, headmaster of Taunton School, said: "The school expresses its deep condolences to the Pincock family on hearing the news of the tragic death of their daughter, Lizzie.

"[She] was a distinguished pupil at the school. She was gifted in sport, in drama and in music.

"As the head of her house and a prefect, she was an outstanding leader and had an exceptional future before her."

The group was more than a fortnight into a 15-week Inca and Amazon trip involving language tuition and volunteer projects, when the crash, thought to be a "tragic accident", happened.

Lizzie's mother Jill told BBC News: "She had the kind of verve and vigour and enthusiasm for life that was extremely contagious.

"She always put in 120% to every task that she undertook and packed more into her 19 years than most of us will in a lifetime."