The parents of a teenage officer killed in the line of duty have said they are 'devastated' by the loss of their only child, who followed in the footsteps of her father to join the force.

Jess Turnbull, 19, joined Northumbria Police in September and became a front line response officer with her local force.

But on Monday night she was mown down by a black Mercedes car as she stood outside her marked patrol car on the A189 'Spine Road' near Cramlington in Northumberland.

PC Turnbull became the first Northumbria Police officer to die in the line of duty in 20 years.

Fellow officers at Northumbria Police were 'completely shattered' by the death of their colleague, who had been in the force a mere 10 months when she was knocked down and killed at the scene of a road accident.  

PC Turnbull was the only child of Janice and Andy Turnbull and it had been her dream to follow her father into the police force.

Mr and Mrs Turnbull said she 'loved serving her community and was incredibly proud to wear the uniform.'

Their daughter was killed on Monday, June 8, after a call out to a suspicious road accident in which the occupants of one of the vehicles had run away.

While dealing with the aftermath, she was struck outside her marked patrol car by a Mercedes, driven by a 73-year-old man who was arrested for causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The rookie officer was rushed to a hospital close to the scene of the accident on the A189 'Spine Road' at Cramlington, Northumberland, but tragically died from her injuries two days later, surrounded by her loved ones.

In a moving statement, Mr and Mrs Turnbull paid tribute to their 'beautiful' daughter.

They wrote: 'As a family, we are utterly devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Jess, who tragically died following a road traffic collision at just 19 years of age.

'Jess was our only child, and from the moment she came into our lives she brought happiness, laughter, and love into every day. The hole she leaves in our lives is impossible to put into words.'

Her parents said that PC Turnbull and her mother, Janice, shared a bond that was 'truly special'. 

They added: 'They were not only mother and daughter but best friends. They loved spending time together, whether that was shopping, chatting for hours or simply enjoying each other's company. They shared countless memories that Janice will treasure forever.

'From a young age, Jess was full of energy, determination, and kindness. She loved sport and spent much of her childhood playing football and competing as a swimmer. Her passion for helping others was evident even then and she later volunteered her time coaching young children in football, encouraging them to believe in themselves and enjoy the game she loved so much.

'Jess recently found happiness with her boyfriend Dan. They had been together for a year and were inseparable. Whether they were out making memories or simply spending time together, they did everything side by side. Jess adored Dan, and he brought so much joy to her life.

'One of Jess' proudest achievements was becoming a police officer. She absolutely loved serving her community and was incredibly proud to wear the uniform.

'Following in the footsteps of her dad, Andy, was something she had always dreamed of doing, and seeing her achieve that ambition filled us both with immense pride. Policing was not just a job to Jess, it was a calling. 

'She cared deeply about helping people and making a difference, and she approached every day with enthusiasm, compassion and professionalism.

'Jess touched the lives of so many people during her short life. She was caring, funny, determined, and fiercely loyal to those she loved. She had an infectious smile and a way of making everyone feel valued and welcome.

'While our hearts are broken, we are incredibly proud of the remarkable young woman Jess became. We will miss her every single day, but we will carry her love, her spirit, and our memories of her with us forever.

'We would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming kindness, support, and condolences we have received during this unimaginably difficult time. Knowing how much Jess was loved and respected has brought us comfort.

'Jess was, and always will be, our greatest pride and our greatest joy.'

Last week, Northumbria's Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine paid her own tribute, while the flag at the force's Wallsend headquarters flew at half mast.

Ms Jardine said: 'Policing is a family, and we are mourning the passing of not only a colleague and a friend, but also our own family member. And we will continue to support each other during this extremely difficult time.

'Jess, who was 19, joined the force in September last year and worked on the response policing team in Northumberland. She had so much still to look forward to in her career and her life.

'She was a dedicated and committed officer, who always sought to do her best to keep her communities safe. Every single day, police officers up and down the country faced danger to protect the public.

'Thankfully, most go home. Tragically, on this occasion, Jess did not. I'm grateful to all those who wear the uniform with pride to keep us all safe. Jess made the ultimate sacrifice, and that will never be forgotten.'

A Mercedes CLC collided with Jess and her marked Northumbria Police car that was on the southbound carriageway at 11.10pm on June 8th.

Paramedics raced to the scene where the officer was rushed to the nearby specialist care hospital at Cramlington.

PC Turnbull had been responding to reports of a silver Land Rover Freelander colliding with a white Ford Explorer.

The Ford left the road and the occupants of the Land Rover fled the area on foot before police arrived, with no injuries reported.

At the time Assistant Chief Constable Helena Barron, of Northumbria Police, said: 'Our thoughts are very much with the officer, their loved ones and all those impacted by what has happened.

'Officers from the Force's Serious Collision Investigation Unit have since launched an investigation.

'They say they are especially keen to hear from any witnesses who were travelling in the area at the time, and those who may have dashcam footage.'

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called to a road traffic incident on the A189 Spine Road in Cramlington shortly before midnight on Monday 8 June.

'We dispatched two ambulance crews, one duty officer and were supported by our colleagues at Great North Air Ambulance Service.

'Two patients were taken to hospital by road for further treatment.'

A spokesperson for the Great North Air Ambulance Service added: 'Our critical care team was activated at 11.39pm to reports of a road traffic collision on the A189 in Cramlington.

'We had a paramedic and doctor on a rapid response vehicle and they arrived on scene at 11.55pm.

'Our team worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service to assess and treat a patient and accompanied them to hospital.'

Anyone with information should send Northumbria Police a direct message on social media, use live chat and report forms on the Force's website, or call 101.

The last officer to die in the line of duty at the force was PC Joseph Carroll, who was killed when a prisoner being transported from Hexham to Newcastle yanked on the patrol car's handbrake, causing a 70mph smash on the A69 in Northumberland on April 13th 2006.

Steven Graham, 39, a communications instructor at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, was jailed for five and a half years after he pleaded guilty at Newcastle crown court to manslaughter.