Neighbours have paid tribute to a 'pleasant and chatty' Norfolk woman who died in a three-vehicle accident on Friday.

Patricia Harcourt, 65, of Beatty Close, Great Yarmouth, died when a silver Hyundai Accent she was travelling in collided with a single- decker Anglian bus and a parked silver Renault Trafic minibus on the B1127 at Hulver, near Beccles, shortly before 7pm.

The country and western fan had been sitting in the back seat, while the front-seat passenger, Steven Ray, 43, from Bungay, believed to be the woman's son, also died. The driver of the car, a man in his 60s, who is believed to be her husband Ron, was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with chest injuries. He is in a serious but stable condition.

Mrs Harcourt's next door neighbour Robert Smith, 61, who lives with his partner Patricia Fahey, 63, said: 'They were very chatty. If I went out into the front garden to put some spring bulbs in she would be out there chatting, saying 'this evening is nice'.'

He added: 'I would not say they kept themselves to themselves because they did not. As soon as you went outside they would always come out and have a chat with you. They were very friendly.'

Ms Fahey said Mrs Harcourt worked at an amusement arcade on Yarmouth seafront, while her husband loved animals, and used to rear horses although he also owned other pets, including goats and guinea pigs.

She said the couple would often go away at weekends to country and western gigs.

Another neighbour Frances Ash, 67, said yesterday Ron used to drive the horse-drawn landaus on Yarmouth seafront and was well known to traders in Yarmouth Market Place.

She saw the couple hours before the accident as they were loading their car up with luggage and boxes at 9.40am on Friday, adding they told her they were 'going away to visit someone' and seemed in good spirits.

Clifford Hatt, 82, who lives next door with wife Barbara, 82, said the couple had moved from nearby Tennyson Road three months ago due to Ron's ill health.

Any witnesses are asked to call PC Allie Cotton at the Suffolk Police Serious Collision Investigation Team on 01473 613500.

dominic.bareham2@archant.co.uk