“My life has been changed forever” - those are the words of a grieving son whose “beautiful and gentle” mother died after a three-vehicle crash on the A141.

Alexander said his mum Valentina Moneva, of Mount Pleasent Road, Wisbech, was travelling from her work in Peterborough back to Wisbech “but she never made it home”.

He is now appealing for donations to help pay for her funeral: “In order for her to receive a proper burial, she needs to be transported abroad, back to Bulgaria and the city where she was born.”

In a tribute posted to 5,000 members of the Bulgarians in England Facebook group, he said: “I never fathomed that I could lose my entire world in a single day.

“All of us have faced countless battles, both internal and external ones - however, this situation is beyond what I’m capable of dealing with on my own.

“She had a beautiful and gentle soul, many were the occasions when she made me think that she doesn’t belong to this world - not with all of her kindness and warmth hidden within.

“I cannot even begin to express the emptiness she left behind,” the 28-year-old added.

“I will be forever grateful for all the lessons she taught me, for all of the difficulties she had to overcome in order to show me the meaning of character, faith and moral values.”

Valentina’s neighbour Mary Loft said on Facebook: “Valentina was such a lovely woman. I miss her so bad.”

Her friend Joana Patricia Costa added: “Rip my friend we are gonna miss you at work.”

The collision happened at Hobbs Lot Bridge, March, on Friday September 24 when the 50-year-old’s Peugeot 206 collided with a white Vauxhall Astra at just after 3pm. She was taken to Peterborough City Hospital but later died of her injuries.

Two passengers in the Peugeot were also injured in the collision; one was taken to Peterborough City Hospital with slight injuries and the other to Addenbrooke’s with serious injuries.

The driver of the Astra was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital with serious injuries and the passenger to Peterborough City Hospital, also with serious injuries.

The driver of the Astra remains in critical condition in hospital.

Anyone who witnessed the collision should contact police via webchat, online forms or 101 quoting incident 275 of 24 September.