THE parents of a toddler killed when she was hit by a bus the day before her fourth birthday spoke of their grief last night.

Yesterday should have been full of happiness for Aleisha Ord and her parents John and Michelle. Instead the couple were consumed with grief at the loss of their "little angel".

The youngster - the couple's only child - had been staying at her grandmother's house in Burnip Road, Murton, near Seaham, County Durham, because her parents were both working on Friday night.

The following morning she died instantly from head injuries when she crossed the road from behind a bus dropping off passengers and was struck by a bus going the other way.

John, 34, and Michelle, 31, of Station Road South, were yesterday being comforted by family and friends in the former pit village.

John said: "She went over to a green on the other side of the road from her grandma's house with her cousin who is ten.

"We don't know exactly what happened but she was knocked over by the bus. We're just devastated. It feels as though our lives are over.

"Aleisha was everything to us. She was a beautiful little girl who touched the hearts of everyone who met her.

"It is impossible to say how much we will miss her."

Michelle said: "To lose her like this has been unbearable because she was our only child and she was an angel.

"She loved to dance and loved to sing. She loved Ronan Keating, especially his song You Say it Best."

Police are urging anyone who saw the accident, at 10.35am on Saturday, to call 0191-386 4929.

* Police are also investigating a collision between a car and a bus at the junction of the A1018 and B1285 at Seaham Grange at 9.10pm on Saturday night.

Three people in a silver Vauxhall Cavalier and the driver and 13 passengers of a single-decker were treated for minor injuries.