'My beautiful best friend': Tributes to tragic victim Rebecca Browne

Touching tributes have been left at the scene of the tragic accident in which popular hairdresser Rebecca Browne lost her life in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Ms Browne, from the Galliagh area of Derry city, was killed when she was struck by a Garda patrol car at Ludden, Buncrana.

She was returning from a night out to where she was staying, close to where the tragic collision occurred.

Friends and family have left flowers and photographs in her memory at the spot on the side of the R238 road.

“To my beautiful best friend. I'm going to miss you so much,” one floral tribute says.

Another from a close friend says: “Rest in peace beautiful You will always be remembered.”

“Our Becca, we love you so much,” reads a handwritten note at the scene. “We will be lost without you.”

Tributes were also paid at Tuesday's sitting of Buncrana District Court.

The scene of the fatal collision. (North West Newspix)

Mr Ciaran Mac Lochlainn, a Buncrana-based solicitor, touched on what he called a 'tragic incident' before the beginning of the day's court business.

“Unfortunately, it's not the first incident of its kind that we have had to endure,” Mr Mac Lochlainn said.

“The publicity for something like this is not one we relish in any form or fashion. On behalf of the legal profession, I extend sincere sympathy to the family of the young lady and also express our good wishes to all of the people involved.

“It was a tragic incident.”

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham said she wished to echo Mr Mac Lochlainn's sentiments and extended her condolences to all involved.

Ms Browne, a hairdresser at Sage Hair and Beauty on Specer Road in Derry, attended an evening reception of a wedding on Saturday evening at a Buncrana hotel.

She was walking back to the caravan park where she was staying when she was struck by a Garda car at around 3.15am. Ms Browne died at the scene.

The incident has been referred to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) due to the involvement of a Garda vehicle.

Fr Michael McCaughey of the Three Patrons' Parish in Galliagh visited Ms Browne's grief-stricken family on Sunday.

“No words any of us can say at this time can comfort the situation," Fr McCaughey said.

“It is just very sad to see the pain and the heartbreak and the silence. It is very daunting to hear a mother say her daughter went out on Saturday afternoon and hasn't come home.”

Ms Browne's body was removed from the scene on Sunday morning for a post mortem while a Garda forensic team carried out an examination of the scene.