POLICE were last night hunting a hit-and-run driver who knocked down a 20-year-old secretary in front of her mother.

The speeding car left Beverley Smith dying in the road, only 15ft from her front door.

Beverley was revived twice, first by a police officer and later by paramedics, but was declared dead at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, where she worked as a secretary in the x-ray department.

Beverley and her mother, Norma Lawrence, had been returning from a shopping trip when the dark Ford Focus crashed into her in Cass House Road, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, at about 11am yesterday. The car was later abandoned.

The accident was witnessed by a close friend, 17-year-old Helen Cornwall. Helen was at her grandmother's house, which is fitted with its own security camera, and when she glanced at the CCTV monitor, she saw the accident.

The teenager ran out of the house to see if she could help not realising her friend was the victim. "I ran straight out to help," said Helen. "I did not recognise her at first, and it broke my heart when I saw who it was.

"She was like a big sister. I have known her since I was a child. She used to look after me. She was lovely. Her mam and her step-dad used to take us to Saltburn beach."

Inspector Steve Lawson, of Cleveland Police, said: "There is no doubt that the driver must be aware that he struck this woman. We would urge him to make contact with the police as soon as possible.

"This incident happened in a fairly busy area.

"We need to speak to everyone who was there, who may have seen the collision, seen the vehicle being driven before the collision or seen the damaged vehicle being driven off and along roads before it was left in Nuneaton Close."

Beverley's mother was too distraught to speak directly about the tragedy, which robbed her of her only child a month from Beverley's 21st birthday. Speaking through the police, Mrs Lawrence said her daughter loved films, computers and "always had a book in her hands".

Beverley, who had lived with boyfriend Steve Forth in her flat in Enderby Gardens for a couple of years, had worked as a volunteer for the Teesside charity, Convoy Aid.

Rod Jones, the charity's founder, said: "She will be a big loss. We are all shocked.