HOW tragic it is to hear of two families left without their mothers.

The tragedy puts into perspective how precious life is and how everything can change in an instant. Maggie Doel was just doing what she did every day as a negotiator and was still excited about the job she had only been doing for a week. When she smiled at client Sally Jamieson as she came in to look at house details, there was no clue of what was to happen moments later.

These two women are the tragic victims of an event which no one can really understand.

It is not yet known exactly what caused the crash. There could be months of police investigation before the full events behind the tragedy are known.

It is impossible for anyone who has not suffered a loss like this to understand how the families must be feeling.

Dozens of well-wishers have laid flowers at the scene and the family of Mrs Doel say they have been comforted by such acts of kindness.

Thursday's crash stunned High Wycombe residents and shoppers, and onlookers who stood aghast are still feeling the effects.

Many were in shock after seeing the lorry career down the hill and with the driver frantically sounding his horn as he tried to avert a tragedy.

Some people have already pointed the blame at the road and say, quite rightly, that this is the latest in a long line of accidents.

The police investigation is expected to take some months and it is likely to highlight the junction and the roads around it as a major concern in last week's awful event.

If it does, maybe something will at last be done to prevent anything like this happening again.