THE heartbroken family of tragic 24-year-old Sophie Hill-Jones have this week paid a touching tribute to their party princess'.

Popular Sophie, a mortgage specialist at Stourbridge's HSBC bank, died on May 31 - a week after she was involved in a horrific road smash near Junction 3 on the M42.

The former King Edward VI College student had been driving her beloved sports car back from Bidford-upon-Avon with her boyfriend Scott Pardoe to attend her brother Richard's 30th birthday celebrations.

Tragedy struck, however, and in the driving rain Sophie's car flipped over when she swerved to avoid a Porsche - which had hit the central reservation up ahead.

The bubbly blonde was taken to by air ambulance to Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital and was later transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, but she died on May 31.

Her boyfriend Scott, a Lance Corporal in the British Army - based in Bidford but originally from Halesowen, escaped with minor injuries.

Sophie, from Yarnborough Hill, Oldswinford, had only worked at HSBC in Stourbridge High Street for just over a year - but such was her popularity that staff held a two-minute's silence in tribute to her on Tuesday (June 4).

Her devastated mum Frances Jones said: "I've never known anything like that happening, it was very touching. She was quite infectious."

Sophie's older brother Richard said: "She made such an impression.

"She was extremely popular. She was an absolute live wire. She loved every minute of her life. She was up for anything and everything...and one of her friends called her the party princess'."

Former Windsor High student Sophie grew up in Halesowen, and later studied languages and European studies at the University of Bath - during which time she was invited to spend six months at university in Toulouse, France.

She also spent a few months teaching English in Germany and worked at Eurodisney in Paris.

And while she was studying for her A levels she ran for Halesowen Athletics Club.

She also enjoyed playing football, trampolining, ice skating and had been close to completing her Duke of Edinburgh award.

Around 200 people are expected to attend her funeral, which will be held at Stourbridge Crematorium on Friday June 13 at 2.10pm.