A 26-YEAR-OLD bride-to-be died in a car accident on a South Lakeland road early on Wednesday morning as she drove to work.

Lesley Hazel McCulloch, of Dalton-in-Furness, who it is believed would have been married next month, died after her Citroen Saxo left the A592 at Ferry Road End, Bowness, and collided with a tree.

Miss McCulloch was driving from her home at Stainton Drive to her place of work at the Ambleside branch of the NatWest bank.

Cumbria Police spokesman Mike Head said that the accident happened at about 8.30am. Police and fire fighters were called out to the scene of the crash and the road was closed off for a time.

The young woman was taken to Westmorland General Hospital, in Kendal, but died of her injuries.

The Ambleside branch of the NatWest Bank, where Miss McCulloch worked as a customer service officer, was closed for the day after distraught staff were told of the death of their young colleague.

Spokesman for the bank Nigel Meffen said: "The staff are devastated - it was such a sad thing to have happened and was completely unexpected. Our thoughts are with Lesley's family and friends at this very sad time."

Miss McCulloch's family were too upset to comment this week. A coroner's inquest in Kendal has been opened and adjourned.