PALS of tragic special constable Samantha Derbyshire are bidding to raise enough money to breed a guide dog as a lasting tribute to their “beautiful and loyal friend.”

The 23-year-old from Horwich was killed in an accident on the M61 on Monday morning — prompting a huge outpouring of grief from all those who knew her.

Samantha, known to her friends as Sam, was a special constable with Greater Manchester Police and was due to start as a regular police officer soon.

Her close friend Amy Horrocks has described the devastation she and her group have felt since the tragic accident — but says they are determined to keep her memory alive with a fitting tribute.

Amy, 24, from Westhoughton, said: “She was our princess. She was the happiest, loudest, best person you could know and she held us all together.

“I met Sam when we were 16 or 17 at Runshaw College, you couldn’t not be friends with Sam, she would talk to anyone and we all became inseparable.

“I found out what had happened when Sam’s sister called on Monday, it didn’t seem real then and it still doesn’t — our group has been together all week just sharing memories of our dedicated and beautiful friend, we are all devastated.”

Ms Horrocks said that one of Sam’s great loves was dogs, so the friends have set up a Just giving web page in a bid to raise the £3,100 required to breed a guide dog for the blind, with any extra money also going to good causes.

The page has already rocketed to around £3,800 and Amy said Sam’s friends and family are overwhelmed.

She said: “It is unbelievable to see the comments people are leaving about Sam, even those who have only met her once or twice.

“It just shows the effect she has had on people — everyone loved her.”

The friends would like to name the guide dog “Dubs” — which was their nickname for Samantha if possible, or Sam.

Ms Horrocks said her friendship group will “keep Samantha with them” at all times, adding: “It is her birthday coming up soon and we will all get together then and do something she would have liked — probably something with dogs.”

If you would like to contribute to Samantha’s memorial fund, please visit http://justgiving.com/fundraising/Sam-derbyshireSC40938