PC Jess Turnbull, 19, dies after being struck by car while on duty in Cramlington

A 19-year-old police constable has died after being hit by a car in Cramlington, Northumberland, while responding to a separate crash. A 73-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Tributes paid to teenage officer killed responding to crash in Northumberland

Police Constable Jess Turnbull, 19, died on Wednesday after being struck by a car while attending the scene of a road incident in Cramlington, Northumberland, bbc.co.uk reports. She had been injured on Monday night and was taken to hospital, where she later died.

Turnbull had been dispatched to a crash involving a Land Rover Freelander and a Ford Explorer on the A189 Spine Road at 23:10 BST. While at the scene, a black Mercedes struck a marked police car, fatally injuring her.

A 73-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and released on bail. Northumbria Police has appealed for anyone who saw a 09-registered black Mercedes Coupe CLC on Monday, between 15:00 BST and approximately 23:30 BST, in Blyth, Cramlington and the surrounding areas, to come forward. Officers said they were "extremely grateful" to those who stopped to help at the scene and asked them to get in touch.

Turnbull joined Northumbria Police last September. The force described her as a "dedicated and committed" officer.

Her former headteacher, Peter Douthwaite of George Stephenson High School in Killingworth, remembered her as a "much-loved former student" who "lived a life of service". "She was always cheerful, positive and kind, with a smile on her face and a warmth that brightened the day of those around her," he said. "Even as a young person, Jessica wanted to make a difference, so it is no surprise that she chose a career dedicated to helping and protecting others."

Douthwaite added: "We have lost a genuinely lovely person who will be remembered with enormous fondness by those who taught and knew her." The school placed flowers outside the Northumbria Police station where Turnbull had worked.

Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth said Turnbull's death was a reminder of the "risks police officers face every single day". "No words can ease the pain they will be experiencing at this time, but my thoughts are with PC Jess Turnbull's family, friends and colleagues as they come to terms with this unimaginable loss," she said. "She will be remembered in so many ways, and with gratitude for committing herself to a career of putting others first."

Source: The Sun