Heartfelt floral tributes have flooded a city pavement in memory of one of the young women killed in a car crash that claimed the lives of three people who'd been reported missing. Dozens of bouquets and cards of condolence have been left outside the Newport martial arts centre run by the father of Eve Smith.
The 21-year-old was one of five people who were travelling in car that was found crashed off the A48 near St Mellons in Cardiff just after midnight on Monday – nearly 48 hours after they were last seen in the Pentwyn area of the capital. Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Darcy Ross, 21, also died in the incident, while Sophie Russon and Shane Loughlin were left seriously injured. See the latest update from police here.
On Friday the Newport City Martial Arts Centre run by Everton Smith in Newport's Commercial Road had become a shrine to his daughter, who was from the city's Maesglas area. Its doors are closed 'until further notice' so the family can grieve and the unit's windows are filled with photos of Eve posing both with her dad and numerous friends.
A display spelling her name in white chrysanthemums and pink roses also sat alongside a series of printed poems. One read: "A ray of sunshine came and went/A beautiful treasure only lent/In God's keeping she quietly sleeps/This daughter we loved but could not keep."
In addition handwritten notes were pinned to the bouquets propped against the wall of the centre. Many wished Mr Smith and family "our deepest sympathy and unwavering support at this sad time."
Mr Smith, who wasn't present at the site on Friday afternoon, had previously spoken to the BBC about his devastation at losing his daughter. Describing Eve as "beautiful," "so intelligent" and "everything a father could wish for," he added: "It's going to change my life. Nothing will be the same. I just need her here to get me through this – this is an impossible situation."
Tragically Eve's sister Xana Doyle, 19, was also killed in a car crash in Newport in 2015. "This is like nothing anyone could expect to go through – it's like deja vu," said Mr Smith. He added that he was "not surprised people have come and brought flowers", saying: "Anyone who met my daughter only had to meet her once to know there was something special about her."
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