A BEAUTY queen killed in a crash was due to have her long locks cut off to help young girls undergoing chemotherapy.

Skye Mitchell, 18, died alongside Caitlin Huddleston, also 18, when the green Toyota Yaris she was driving collided with a white Ford Transit van on the A595 near Bootle.

Tributes have continued to pour in for the two 18-year-olds from the heartbroken Millom community and beyond.

Milton Haworth, a local photographer who had worked with Miss Mitchell a number of times, paid tribute to the kind-hearted youngster.

Mr Haworth had been set to link up with Miss Mitchell again next week ahead of her latest generous act.

He said: “Skye was a bright, beautiful and selfless young lady who defended those who she thought were being ill-treated.

“Only last week she asked me to do some photographs of her long hair before she had it cut to make wigs for young girls undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

“She would always be the first to befriend people at the beauty competitions she so loved entering. She had a great sense of knowing when someone was shy or nervous.

“She was always first to congratulate people when they won the competition she was in and was genuinely pleased for them."

Tributes flooded in for the pair throughout the weekend on Facebook.

Sarah Kenny said: “So sad. Skye was a beautiful girl with a bright future. Deepest condolences to both families.”

Kirby Linton said: “Devastating news for both families. Skye was an amazing young lady with so much to offer. Beautiful both inside and out. RIP.”

Susan Tongue said: “Rest peacefully girls. Deepest condolences to both families.”

And Bekka Higgins added: “Beautiful girls, far too young for this tragic end. My hearts truly are with the families of these girls. A grief no parent should bare.”

Copeland MP Trudy Harrison joined the tributes to the two youngsters.

She said: “It's a dreadful shock to our community and a desperately sad day with the loss of two bright, beautiful, and ambitious young women.

“It is important that their personalities are remembered. Millom is a close knit community shocked and saddened but I know the whole town will rally round and support the families and friends.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends and the two in hospital, and hopefully they make a full, quick recovery.

“Thanks must go to the emergency services once again for their quick response to the accident and the air ambulance which was used to take the two injured to hospitals across the country.

Miss Mitchell was chosen to represent her town as Carnival Queen in 2012, before going on to win the Junior Miss South Lakes title.

She followed this up with a third-place finish in the Junior Miss Great Britain contest before winning the Junior Miss North West title in 2014 aged 16. She was due to compete in the Miss Cumbria competition later this year.

In 2015 the former Millom School pupil launched her own anti-bullying campaign with a powerful image.

At 17, she decided to launch the campaign after experiencing bullying over her looks in the past, in the hope of stopping younger students at school suffering the same fate.

Covering her face with specific insults she'd experienced first-hand, Miss Mitchell launched the campaign to raise awareness of the problem.

Speaking at the time, she said: “The reason I wanted to do it was to help any young girls or boys out there who are being bullied. I want to show them there’s not a reason, it’s not them, it’s not their fault. Bullies don’t need a reason. It just happens to anyone."

The accident in which Miss Mitchell and Miss Huddleston died happened at 7.55pm.

A back seat passenger, also 18, was flown by air ambulance to Preston Royal Hospital, where she remains in a critical condition.

The 51-year-old local driver of the van was taken to Liverpool's Aintree Hospital by air ambulance, where his condition remains serious but stable.

Any witnesses to the collision are asked to contact Cumbria police on 101, quoting log number 230 of July 14.