A FORMER St Albans schoolgirl has died after being hit by a car as she walked along a pavement in Essex.

Cassie McCord, 16, who moved from the area to Colchester in 2006, was fatally injured in the accident on Monday morning which is believed to have happened when an 87-year-old driver fell ill behind the wheel and lost control, colliding with the teenager and her friend.

The former Sandringham School pupil was treated at Queen’s Hospital in Romford but her family were told on Tuesday morning that all signs of brain activity had ceased.

Her parents remained with her while the possibility or organ donation was considered before her life support machine was switched off on Wednesday. Her mum Jackie McCord said: “Cassie’s organs have been used to save others, which was her wish, and to ensure that she did not die in vain.”

Cassie, who also attended Cunningham Hill Infants and Juniors, had been studying at Colchester Sixth Form College for her AS levels in Law, Geography, Sociology, Communication and Culture, and Citizenship and was hoping to go on to university.

Ms McCord continued: “She loved her family, and spending time with them, particularly with her boyfriend Dan, brother Sam, and her cousin Eleanor. We have many happy memories from family holidays which she loved so much.

“She seemed to be able to do anything she put her mind to. Her family and friends will so desperately miss her.”

Cassie has been described as a typical 16-year-old who loved fashion and shopping, and she had worked at Marks and Spencer from October until after Christmas to earn some money for this purpose.

She also leaves behind her father Graham, and her brother Sam, as well as her mum’s partner John.

Her college held a two-minute silence in her memory yesterday (Thursday). Principal Ian MacNaughton said: “Staff and students at the college are so sad that Cassie has not survived from Monday’s terrible accident.

“Cassie joined us last September and was studying AS levels. She was an excellent student and extremely well liked and popular.

“She will be enormously missed. College staff will do everything we can to support her family and friends.”

Tributes have also been paid to the teenager by her friends on the social networking sites Twitter and Facebook.

One message read: “You shall be greatly missed. I love you”. Other messages included: “RIP beautiful Cassie McCord, our thoughts go out to her family”, “Pls everyone pray for my friend Cassie McCord” and “No one deserved that – rest in peace baby”.

The other 16-year-old girl who was also injured in the accident and has now been discharged.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident and for anyone who may have seen the red Vauxhall Astra involved being driven immediately before the incident to contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit of Essex Police on 0300 333 4444.