Mother-of-four Joan Gover, 72, was killed on the M4 near Chippenham after she drove down the carriageway in the wrong direction last Friday.

Mrs Gover's red Ford Escort saloon collided with a red Ford Fiesta van in the eastbound fast lane between junction 17 and Leigh Delamere services.

She appeared to do a u-turn on the motorway, causing her to hit the van head on at around 10pm.

The police were alerted when a motorist saw a car driving westbound on the eastbound lane.

The van hit the Escort after it had over taken a lorry in the middle lane.

Police suspect the woman may have overshot the Chippenham junction.

The van driver, a 37-year-old man from Chester received minor injuries and was taken to Great Western Hospital, Swindon. Firefighters had to cut him free from his vehicle by removing the door and steering wheel.

The road was closed on the eastbound carriage between junction 17 and 18 until 2.50am on Saturday.

Mrs Gover leaves three sons and a daughter.

Police are appealing for witnesses particularly the driver of the lorry that was overtaken, who they believe may have seen what happened

Mrs Gover, a widow, lived on her own in Withymead Road, Marshfield. She had been living there for more than five years and had previously lived in Bath.

Before then she had lived in Marshfield with her family and had always wanted to return there.

Her lifelong friend of more than 60 years Stephanie Permial, said she was saddened and extremely shocked to hear the news.

Mrs Permial, who also lives in Withymead, went to school with Mrs Gover at the former Kingswood Grammar School in Bristol.

"It is a terrible thing to have happened. I am still extremely shocked. I don't know what she was doing on the motorway or where she was going. She didn't say she was going shopping or anything," said Mrs Permial.

She said Mrs Gover was a well-known person in the community and well liked by everyone.

"Ask anyone that lives around here and they will tell you how lovely she was. Her maiden name was Angel and I always said she was an angel. She was a lovely, kind, generous person. She would drive anyone, anywhere," she said.

"She was such a sweet person, you could not find better. She was a good friend to everyone."

Mrs Gover was a Christian woman who regularly attended the village church and Mrs Permial said she was also a member of the Mothers' Union and WI.

When she lived in Bath she worked at Jolly's in the finance department.

The last time Mrs Permial saw her best friend was the day before the accident.

They had gone to The Lord Nelson pub in Marshfield for lunch with another friend.

"The three of us always try to get together and we were celebrating the other friend's birthday. We had a lovely time," said Mrs Permial.

Betty Lewis from Marshfield WI said she knew Mrs Gover in the past when she first lived in the village and was a member of the group. They lost contact when she moved to Bath.

"She was a very sweet gentle lady. It is a very sad business. She took me out in her car a few times. She always seemed a very careful driver," she said.

Mrs Gover's body was released from Great Western Hospital yesterday and the family plans to have a cremation service.

Witnesses should contact Swindon Traffic Police on (01793) 891318.