A HEROIC policewoman saved her daughter's life by pushing the girl out of the path of an oncoming bus – but was struck herself and later died.
Brave Sergeant Louise Lucas, 41, was out shopping with daughter Olivia, 8, when the horrendous collision happened in front of shocked bystanders in a busy city centre street.
The off-duty mother-of-three, who worked for South Wales Police, noticed the approaching bus and managed to shove Olivia aside before taking the full impact of the vehicle herself.
Schoolgirl Olivia escaped with cuts and grazes but her mother was left seriously injured in the middle of the road in Swansea in South Wales.
Mrs Lucas was taken to a local hospital where doctors battled to save her but she later died.
Her heartbroken son Grant, 21, paid tribute to his hero officer mum.
He said: "Mum was the best there is and was simply amazing.
"My mum Louise and my little sister Olivia were involved in a collision.
"Olivia is fine and only suffered minor injuries, but mum passed away later this afternoon.
"I am absolutely well and truly gutted."
Mrs Lucas lived with her husband and removals company boss Gavin, 36, at the family home in Cardiff.
Their third child is Lloyd, an aspiring footballer who is in Swansea City's development squad.
The couple owned a boat together and enjoyed going on sunny getaways.
They also enjoyed sporty cars - Louise had a BMW and Gavin has a Land Rover both in jet black with matching customised number plates.
Fearless Louise had gone on a skydive with Grant just a weeks before her death at around 11am on Tuesday.
Grant said that he wanted to make his mum "proud" and would help to raise his younger siblings with his widowed Dad.
Grant said: "It's mad how my mum and I became much closer over the last couple of weeks and had it all planned out.
"On behalf of the family, we would like to thank all friends for their support."
The bus involved was a single decker X11 operated by First Cymru that connects Swansea and Camarthen.
Steve Trigg, chairman of the South Wales Police Federation, said: "It is with the most profound sense of loss and sadness that we heard today of the tragic death of our friend and colleague, Louise Lucas.
"For those of us privileged to have known Louise well, it is fair to say that she was a force of nature that brightened any room she walked into and her tragic passing at such a young age will leave a huge gap within South Wales Police, her friends who loved her, but most importantly for her family, who have lost a devoted mother and wife."
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