The devastated parents of a teenage girl who died in a crash at a notorious accident blackspot have said she was adored by everyone who knew her.

Kelly Bulmer was killed, along with 23-year-old chef James Adamson, when the car in which they were passengers was in a collision with a van.

Her boyfriend, who was driving the car, remains in a serious condition in hospital.

Yesterday the 17-year-old's parents, Keith and Pat, from Oakham, said the days since their daughter died had been like "purgatory".

Mr Bulmer, 62, said: "When I walk around the house I still see her sitting in a chair. It's very difficult to comprehend. I've got to a stage where I am getting angry and saying to myself I just want her back."

Mr and Mrs Bulmer said that in the days since the crash, they had been inundated with messages of support from friends and family, for which they were thankful.

Kelly's Facebook page has also had hundreds of messages.

Mr Bulmer said: "It's wonderful and comforting to see that everybody is thinking of her, but it's painful. It leaves us in tears trying to read them, but we wouldn't not want them to be there. The past few days have been purgatory."

Mrs Bulmer, 58, said: "She was very outgoing and it seems that everybody who knew her absolutely adored her, as we did.

"She always filled her life. She loved performing of all sorts, dance music and amateur dramatics."

Kelly's death came just days after she celebrated getting her AS-level results in chemistry, maths, physics and psychology, at the King's School, in Peterborough. She achieved two As and two Bs and was hoping to go on to study for a career as a pharmacist.

Mrs Bulmer added: "She wanted a job where she could use her science skills but wanted a job where she could work to help people.

"She was very much a people person. She didn't just want to be stuck in a lab."

Before joining The King's School, Kelly had been a pupil at Catmose College, in Oakham.

She had been with her boyfriend, whose name has not been released, for five months, and had known him since she met him at the college when she was aged 11.

The crash happened at 5.35pm on Wednesday, in Oakham Road, the A6003, near to Manton, in Rutland.

The van driver suffered minor injuries and did not need hospital treatment. The crash occurred close to a spot known as Sounding Bridge – an area that has been earmarked for safety improvements.