Would-be model Lizzie McKean, who died in a car accident, was buried in a ballgown her older sister wore to the Oscars.

Miss McKean, 20, of Burcot, near Abingdon, died last year after she stepped into the path of a car while leading her friend Sarah Mills by the hand across Tottenham Court Road in London.

At her funeral at St Peter and St Paul, Shiplake, Lizzie was buried wearing her sister's ballgown which she had fallen in love with after wearing it to a family ball the last Christmas before she died. Lizzie's sister Carolyn Grosslight is married to musical agent Peter Grosslight head of music at the US William Morris Agency, whose clients include the Spice Girls and Whitney Houston.

The couple attended the 1998 Oscars as guests where Carolyn wore a stunning duck egg blue chiffon ballgown which she later lent to Lizzie.

Mum Geraldine said: "Once Lizzie got used to wearing the dress she was swanning round everywhere that night. She loved it and we thought it fitting she was buried in it."

An inquest has recorded a verdict of accidental death after the accident on April 29. Geraldine said the accident was "too tragic for words".

The 20-year-old was in her final year studying fine art media at St Martin's College in London and had carried out various modelling assign- ments.

Geraldine, said: "She loved it at the college - she was really popular. All her friends said they thought she was a wonderful girl."

Lizzie was born on August 27, 1978 and was brought up by her parents in Shiplake with her sister Carolyn and brother Gerald, known as Moje. She was educated at The Abbey in Reading and King James School, Henley, before going on to Doverbrooks, Oxford, where she gained two A levels before deciding to leave the course.

She then worked for Perpetual Mutual in Henley, before deciding to go back to college.

Story date: Thursday 03 February

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