THE FAMILY of a kind and caring young woman who died over the Christmas period have thanked the community for their support. 

22-year-old Grace Vater, known to many as Gracie, died on Christmas Day in hospital from her injuries following a crash in Shipton Moyne, near Tetbury, on Saturday, December 23. 

A fundraising page was set up by Gracie's sister Aisha in order to 'give Gracie the best send of she deserves'. 

After so far raising over £8,000, Aisha has thanked the community for their support at this time. 

She said: "I am absolutely blown away at the amount of donations. 

"For the first time in days I've been in tears of happiness. 

"The fact that it's just been Christmas and people have spent hundreds on their friends and family and are still able to donate has filled my heart with so much joy. 

"We are all very deeply touched and overwhelmed at the generosity of our wonderful community. 

"I thank you all from the bottom of my heart that we have one less thing to stress about. 

"My sister will have the best send off."

Donate to the GoFundMe at - tinyurl.com/3uxcje99

In an emotional statement, her family said: "We as a family are totally devastated to have lost our beautiful darling Gracie.

"A treasured and much loved daughter, sister, granddaughter and aunty.

"She was the most kind, caring and beautiful soul inside and out, and would help anybody that needed her help.

"She was loved by everyone who met her.

"A country girl with the biggest heart and a huge love for animals, especially dogs, pigs and cows. 

"Our lives will never be the same without her, but we take comfort in knowing that Gracie is with her beloved dad. 

"We ask that all of Gracie's family are given privacy during this horrific time."

It is believed that 22-year-old Gracie fell off a quad bike which overturned on Whitehouse Lane shortly after 2pm on Saturday.

She was airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol and died two days later.

A man is believed to have made off from the scene on a quad bike and was later found and arrested following a search involving the police helicopter.

A second man was also later arrested.

Two men, aged 29 and 30 and from the Cotswolds, have been bailed with conditions to return to police in February, pending further inquiries.

Officers are still seeking information in connection with the collision.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the quad bike being driven prior to the incident can provide information to police online by completing an online form and quoting incident 251 of December 23.