CHILDREN released orange balloons into the night sky as villagers paid a touching tribute to 12-year-old Charlotte Smith, who was killed in a collision with a car.

Parents blocked off part of the road through Lower Compton, close to where the accident happened, so 50 youngsters from the village youth club, dressed in Charlotte's favourite colour orange, could release their balloons on Tuesday at 8pm.

As they let go the children shouted Charlotte's name before joining in prayer with the Rev Bob Hurley, vicar of the Oldbury parishes.

Charlotte's father Peter Smith said: "A lot of the children had dyed their hair orange and had blown up orange balloons. They went outside into the road by the tree and some of the parents blocked off the road so that they could go out there.

"They let their balloons go and shouted her name. Then they all joined together and the vicar said a prayer. They lit night-lights and placed them around the tree and had a quiet time to remember Charlotte. At the end they all shouted amen.

"The atmosphere was wonderful, I couldn't have wished for anything better. Obviously she was a very popular girl.''

Charlotte was riding her bicycle with her best friend near the family home in Lower Compton, near Calne, on Friday afternoon when the accident with a Vauxhall Tigra driven by a local woman happened. Charlotte was airlifted to Bath's Royal United Hospital but doctors were unable to save her.

Her parents Julia and Peter described Charlotte as a bright and cheerful dynamo of a daughter with a very cheeky smile. They said she was a bit of a tomboy who enjoyed fishing and hated wearing skirts.

She had just completed her first year at John Bentley School, Calne, and was fascinated by insects and creepy crawlies.

Her parents said she wanted to work in the Cotswold Wildlife Park bughouse or in CCTV operations, where she could see what people were up to, because of her enquiring nature.

Charlotte, who has a 14-year-old sister called Hayley, was also a huge fan of American rock band Linkin Park and the Simpsons cartoon series.

Mr and Mrs Smith said: "Charlotte will be missed beyond words. We are all devastated. There's just a huge empty hole now."

The funeral, which the family is describing as a celebration of Charlotte's life, will take place at St James' Church in Cherhill, at 1pm on Monday. There will then be a private cremation at Semington with her favourite teddy Brown Bear and her teddy pillow, which she cherished all her life.

Charlotte loved motorbikes and to honour her memory, bikes ridden by her uncle, family friends and a police outrider will flank the funeral procession. Mrs Smith has asked anyone wishing to attend the funeral not to wear black but instead to join the family in celebrating Charlotte's life by dressing or carrying something orange.

Charlotte's parents have thanked Wiltshire Police, Wiltshire Air Ambulance, the Ambulance Service and RUH in Bath and the police family liaison officer for their heroic efforts to save Charlotte and their support for the family.

Mr and Mrs Smith are extremely grateful to their family and friends for their help and support and all their floral tributes for Charlotte. They have asked for family flowers only. Donations will go to the air ambulance, care of the funeral directors, E. Wootten and Son, in North Street, Calne.