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Tributes paid to woman, 58, killed while trying to photograph I’m A Celeb’s Gwrych Castle

Sharn Iona Hughes lost her life while trying to look at Gwrych Castle's lights. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Sharn Iona Hughes lost her life while trying to look at Gwrych Castle's lights. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Tributes have been paid to a 58-year-old woman who died in a road traffic collision near Gwrych Castle on Saturday evening while she was attempting to photograph the castle’s lights.

The estate in Abergele, which has been derelict for many years, is currently the home of the ITV reality show I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!.

North Wales Police have said Sharn Iona Hughes from Prestatyn, Wales, was pronounced dead at the scene after colliding with a blue Volvo estate car on the A547 Abergele Road at around 5pm on Saturday 21 November.

The mother-of-two was trying to see the lights at the castle and hoped to send a picture to a friend, her family have said in a statement.

The full tribute read: "Sharn passed away on November 21 at roughly 5pm on the A547 Abergele Road, whilst attempting to see the lights at Gwrych Castle.

"Sharn was the youngest daughter of John & Gloria (nee Garbutt) Bevan and she was the devoted wife of Elfyn Hughes, and loving mother to Arron & Annah Hughes.

Read more: The history of Gwrych Castle

“Her family and friends are in total shock and perplexed by her tragic death and wish to say the following about their loss. Sharn was so selfless, and had such a joyous, charitable attitude to life.

"She was in the process of organising deliveries of hampers to the local food bank through the Women’s Institute. We’ll miss her kindness forever.

“Her curiosity led to her wanting to see the lights at Gwrych Castle which unfortunately led to her untimely tragic death along a very busy road.”

A photo of Gwrych Castle in Abergele. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
A photo of Gwrych Castle in Abergele. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

"We are truly heartbroken. She was hoping to take a photo and send it to a friend. We know that several others will have done and plan to do the same.

"We urge people to take so much care and remember it is a busy main A class road,” they added.

A family friend added in the tributes that Hughes was a "beacon of light" and an active member in her community.

North Wales Police are appealing for witnesses or anybody with dash cam footage to come forward.

Watch: Gwrych Castle chosen to host I’m A Celebrity 2020