Jiya Joseph was in a buggy being pushed by her mother Shini, who was struck by a 17.5 tonne lorry as she crossed London Road at North End, Portsmouth.

Mrs Joseph, 39, died instantly but Jiya's buggy went under the truck and emerged unscathed the other side.

Mrs Joseph's eight-year-old son Joel witnessed the horror.
Acting sergeant Simon Clacey, leading the investigation into the accident at 10.30am on Friday, said CCTV footage did not support reports Mrs Joseph had dragged her child out of the road to safety.

'She crossed the road into the path of the lorry,' he said. 'How the child in the buggy didn't end up under the lorry is amazing.

'Looking at the CCTV you just see the lady walking in front of the lorry, and the buggy comes out the other side with the child in it.'

Today it emerged that members of Portsmouth's Kerala community, who are from south west India, are hoping to raise enough money to return Mrs Joseph there, to be accompanied by her husband Jose and children Joel and Jiya.

The Kerala community have prayed for the family at services over the weekend, and tributes have been paid to the mum-of-two, a nursing home worker.

Father Simon Thomson, of Corpus Christi with St Joseph Catholic church on Gladys Avenue, North End, said: 'My experience of her is what a lovely person she was.

'She was very much a member of our parish, and had many friends in Portsmouth from the Indian community and beyond.

'It's a great comfort to the family that their friends have come to their assistance at this time of great grief and sadness.

'Already the Kerala community is organising a collection to help offset the considerable cost of the travel for the family, and in the meantime the family will need practical and financial support .'

Family friend Ajimon Edakkara, 35, of New Road, North End, said: 'She was a really nice lady, very dedicated and really helpful.

'She always took the initiative and was very popular among our community. She was a real graceful lady – really loving and helpful.

'It was a terrible tragedy. We are a very close-knit community, we are helping each other – the whole community is offering its help.'

Mrs Joseph moved from India to Oman, in south west Asia, before coming to Portsmouth to work in a nursing home about 18 months ago.

The Joseph family had just bought a new family home at North End, which they had asked Father Thomson to bless for them just days before Mrs Joseph's death.

To help with the Kerala community's appeal, call Father Thomson on (023) 9266 0927.