Tributes have been paid to dog lover Diane McGrath from Calne, who died in a motorway accident on the M1.

Miss McGrath, 40, was driving a VW Golf near Lutterworth, Leicestershire, last Wednesday when she was fatally injured in a collision with three HGVs, a van and another car.

In March 2005 Miss McGrath was delighted when her whippet Milligan got a first in his class at Crufts.

Other whippet lovers have been leaving messages of sympathy for Miss McGrath's family on a specialist website after her sister Tracey Hoare revealed her death on the site.

Miss McGrath's mother Pauline, from Pewsham, Chippenham, shared her love of whippets and was the breeder of the Crufts winner.

At the time of its win in the post-grad dog class. Miss McGrath said: "I'm absolutely amazed and stunned. I haven't come down yet. I know it's not a top achievement but it's good for us.

"There were over 400 whippets up there so to come away with a place card would have been something in itself."

"It's a real success story for our family," explained Miss McGrath. "You should have heard the cheers from outside the ring.

"Milligan's qualified for Crufts every year. They overlooked him when he was a puppy, he came third last year and first this year. It's a real adrenaline rush. He'll definitely be getting a new cuddly toy now."

A 47-year-old man arrested over the motorway accident and has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.