Territorial Army soldier Pte Wayne Hayward, of North Kilworth, was flown home on compassionate leave following the death of Katie Hoyland in a crash on the A4304 between the village and Walcote, shortly after 5pm on Tuesday last week.

He spoke to the Mail this week to pay tribute to 26-year-old Katie, who he described as his 'Little Miss Sunshine'.

Pte Hayward (36) was in the middle of a six-month tour of Helmand province with the Royal Anglian Regiment when he was told of Katie's death.

He said: "I was devastated. I'd just come off guard and been down to the computers to read messages from her. She was saying how much she was looking forward to her friends coming down and that she'd speak to me in a couple of days. I went to bed then an officer came and told me what had happened.

"The one thing that was keeping me going over there was being able to talk to Katie and knowing that what I was doing there was helping pay for our plans to get married."

Katie - also known as Kate - grew up in Narborough while Pte Hayward is from Nottingham but has lived in the Harborough area since leaving school.

The couple got together at a rave in Willoughby Waterleys a few years ago and got engaged while on holiday in Santorini, Greece, in 2008.

Katie used to work in a hair and beauty salon in Countesthorpe while Pte Hayward's day job is as a self-employed lift engineer. They lived together in Lutterworth Road, North Kilworth.

Pte Hayward said Katie enjoyed fancy dress parties and would be cremated in her favourite outfit - Little Miss Sunshine from the Mr Men books.

"She got the outfit for her birthday last year," he said.

"I remember when she put it on I was in absolute stitches, That's the kind of fun-loving girl she was.

"We were two peas in a pod. She was always up for a laugh and just loved life.

"I'm going to be lost without her. She was like the other half of me, she made me complete."

A group has been set up in Katie's memory on the social networking site Facebook, called RIP Little Kate, Our Little Pocket Rocket!

The group has more than 300 members and is filled with tributes to her while more than 200 people are expected at her funeral at Gilroes Crematorium in Leicester on Tuesday.

Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information about the condition of the road at the time of the crash to contact them.

Katie, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was driving a red Volkswagen Golf and no other vehicles were involved.

Anyone with information can contact Det Cons Patricia Draycott on 0116 2222222, using ID number 4007 when prompted.