THE woman who died in a crash near Box on Friday is believed to be Little Somerford pub landlady Emma Burton.

Villagers have laid floral tributes at the door of the Somerford Arms, where the popular landlady had transformed the village inn into a thriving business in less than three years with her partner Paul Holmes.

The pub, near Chippenham, formerly known as the Saladin Inn, was bought by a group of villagers to stop it being turned into a house.

A message on the pub’s Facebook page reads: “The Somerford Arms will be closed for a period following the sad loss of Emma Burton in a tragic car accident on Friday 17 July. Thank you for all the kind messages and expressions of sympathy and support.”

Ms Burton, formerly the landlord of the Priory Inn, Tetbury, and Mr Holmes, who was a chef in London, opened the doors to the new look pub in 2012.

On Friday evening a Porsche it is believed Ms Burton was a passenger in collided with a lorry near Box.

Police say two Porsche cars were travelling just after 7.30pm along the A4 from Bathford towards Box.

As one of the sports cars negotiated the S-bend at the Box Bridge it collided with a lorry coming in the opposite direction.

The passenger of the Porsche was pronounced dead at the scene. The male driver was taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath with suspected broken ribs and a head injury.

The A4 Bath Road was closed from the junction with the B363 Bathford to Box for seven hours.

Police have appealed for witnesses. PC 1355 Tate from the serious investigation collision team is leading the inquiry and can be contacted on 101 at the Avon and Somerset Constabulary.