A hotel worker who died after a horrific crash on Skye was described last night as “well liked and popular”.
The island community has been left “numb” by the death of the young woman, named locally as Kirsty Johnston.
She was alone in her red Ford Fiesta when it veered off the A87 Kyle of Lochalsh to Uig road about a mile north of Broadford.
She was cut free from the wreckage of the vehicle by firefighters and airlifted to hospital but died later.
Ms Johnston, of Portree, worked as a receptionist at the Portree Hotel and was also an administrator at Home Farm Care Centre in the village.
Yesterday, fellow employees at the hotel were too upset to talk about the tragedy, and it is understood the premises closed early on Friday because of the accident.
Portree-based Councillor John Gordon paid tribute to the popular young woman.
He said: “We are all deeply shocked and saddened by this tragedy.
“I have known Kirsty since she was a child, having worked with a number of her family over the years including her parents.
“She comes from a close family who are well known and respected locally and I am devastated for them at this loss.
“Kirsty was a well-liked and a popular young lady. My thoughts and prayers are with her family, her partner Andrew and her friends at this sad time.”
Fellow Portree councillor Drew Millar said: “The whole village is numb about what has happened.
“She had quite a wide circle of family so most people in Portree know them, a lot of young people know them. It’s quite a cloud hanging over the village.
“I believe she was a very popular young lady. The hotel closed early on Friday as she was a very popular member of staff.”
The accident happened on a long straight section of the A87 road at about 10.10am on Friday.
It is understood Ms Johnston’s car was travelling south, towards Broadford.
Skid marks could be seen on the road, suggesting the car had braked hard before the crash.
It is thought it went down a slight embankment and into a ditch, causing it to overturn and land on raised ground, which is part of the old Skye road.
The road was closed for several hours while an investigation was carried out at the scene.
The accident was the latest in a string of serious crashes on rural roads.
On Thursday, a male biker was taken by air ambulance to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness in what was the third accident involving a motorcyclist in a week.
Days earlier a Belgian man was left in a serious condition in hospital after his motorbike was involved in a collision with a blue Mazda 6 on the A97 road near the Cluanie Inn.
