Charity worker killed in African crash after texting family: I'll be home soon

Hours later, she was dead.

The 25-year- old volunteer teacher was in a taxi with her Japanese boyfriend in Benin, West Africa, when it was involved in a crash.

She was taken to a small local hospital where she was checked by medical staff.

They gave her the all-clear and discharged her.

But a missionary worker was not satisfied with her condition and thought she should be re-examined at a larger hospital.

He was taking her there with her boyfriend, 27-year- old Kentaro Taguchi, when she died in Mr Taguchi's arms. He had been squeezing her hand to comfort her.

The official cause of death has not yet been revealed but it is believed she died from internal injuries.

Miss O'Connell's mother Jude Cox, 55, a teacher, last heard her twin daughter's voice in the message left on the answering machine at the family home in Heaton Moor, Stockport.

In the message Miss O'Connell said: "Oh mum! I've missed you. Will see you soon." Miss Cox said her daughter had been working as a teacher without pay in Ghana since last October.

She had been dedicated to the profession and spent years living abroad but had finally decided to come home.

She was planning to return on June 14, settle down with her boyfriend and start a family. They had even tentatively chosen the name for their first child.

Her family including father Michael, younger sister Alice and brother Patrick are said to be devastated by her death. Miss O'Connell attended Nottingham University where she gained a 2:1 degree in English.

She had always wanted to travel and previously taught English in Japan for three years where she met her boyfriend.

She and her twin sister Sally would have celebrated their birthday on May 25, but they had planned to put celebrations on hold until she got back.

Sally said: "Helen lived an amazing life and was living her dream in Africa.

"She was an extraordinary, loving, caring person and she was my twin sister and my best friend. I'll love her for ever. She meant the world to me and will always be with me."

The girls' mother added: "Helen touched so many lives. She could walk into a room and get on with anyone.

"She was laid back, confident, had a good sense of humour and was loved by everyone.

"She was the golden girl who lived the golden life. She did more in 25 years than I've done in my life."

Touching tributes to Miss O'Connell from across the world, including some from children she taught in Africa, have been left on the social networking site Facebook.

One read: "God needed a new angel for his garden, sadly for us he chose Helen.

"You may be gone, Helen, but you and that big smile will never be forgotten."

Although the tragedy happened on May 10, her body has yet to be flown back to England.