Sledge girl 'beautiful and witty'

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Francesca Anobile, 16, from Mosborough, Sheffield, was fatally injured as she and four other teenage girls were sledging in Rother Valley Country Park, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Tuesday afternoon.

Dozens of horrified families looked on as the five teenagers hurtled down the slope at speeds estimated at up to 50mph before ploughing through a barbed wire fence.

Eyewitnesses said Francesca suffered terrible injuries as she hit the fence and was thrown from the "sledge", which is thought to have been the roof of a Land Rover.

The other four girls continued to slide down the slope for another 60m until they crashed into a wooden fence at the bottom of the hill.

Two of the girls, both 16, escaped with minor injuries. Two others remain in hospital.

Francesca's best friend Laura Simpson, who was the only one of her group not to get on the makeshift sled, also visited the slope.

Laura said: "I had to watch it all. I watched them come down. I just decided not to get on. I don't even know why."

She described Francesca as "amazing" adding: "We were more or less inseparable, never a day would go by without us speaking or anything. I've just lost a big part of my life."

In a statement, Francesca's family said: "We are devastated by the loss of Francesca who was a beautiful, witty, intelligent and popular young woman with everything to live for. She was loving and supportive to everyone she came in contact with, whether friends or family, and was a friend to all."