Women killed in Storm Babet crash named as heartbroken families break silence

The two women who tragically died during Storm Babet, in a motorway crash, have been named as a mother and daughter.

Cheryl Woods, 61, and her daughter Sarha Smith, 40, from Caerphilly had been driving on the M4 on October 20 when they were involved in a horrific fatal collision. Five cars were involved in the smash that left a HGV overturned and emergency services scrambling to the scene of the incident.

Sadly, both women were pronounced dead at the scene of the incident. Two other people sustained minor injuries and were treated by paramedics. Paying tribute, Cheryl and Sarha's heartbroken family have said the mum was "cherished by those in her life" and Sarha was "unselfishly devoted" to her family.

A lorry overturned in the serious crash on the M4, northwest of Chippenham (Tom Wren / SWNS)

In a tribute shared by Wiltshire Police the women's family said: “Cheryl Woods, cherished by those in her life, fulfilled the roles of a loving mother, doting grandmother, cherished sister, and a dear friend. Her selflessness was a defining trait, consistently prioritising her family's well-being over her own, and she took immense pride in her Welsh heritage while nurturing a deep love for nature.

“Sarha Smith, in the footsteps of her mother, unselfishly devoted herself to her family's needs ahead of her own. She was not only a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, but her absence leaves a void for those who relied on her radiant presence. Her legacy lives on through her six daughters, who will forever hold her memory close and strive to honour her with their efforts.”

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The two women were involved in a five-car crash that saw a HGV lorry overturned and an air ambulance rush to the scene. The motorway was shut in both directions at Junction 18 for Bath, and Junction 17 for Chippenham, and it remained closed for much of the day.

Wiltshire Police confirmed at the time that two women had sadly died in the accident. The crash took place as the West Country, like much of the UK, suffered under the heavy rain and strong winds caused by Storm Babet.

After making landfall in the middle of last week, Storm Babet quickly wreaked havoc across Ireland and swept northwards across the UK, before settling over Scotland. Northern and eastern Scotland saw the worst of the second-named storm of the season.

This was because of a convergence of factors that meant the storm was particularly slow moving, with especially harsh rains over the region. A warm bloc of Scandinavian air kept Storm Babet pinned in place over parts of Scotland, giving it nowhere to go.

Alongside that, where the warm and cold air met, winds were stronger, and these winds hit mountains in eastern Scotland, forcing the air to rise quickly, and causing even more rainfall. In some parts of Scotland almost seven inches if rain fell in just 36 hours.