ANGRY people living in a Gwent village say they simply cannot understand how another life has been lost after a car plunged into a disused quarry.

Yesterday, 33-year-old mum-of-two Liz Tranter died after her Land Rover crashed through a metal fence and fell 100ft down Monk's Quarry, Swffryd.

The fence had been put up by Blaenau Gwent council in 2005 - after a car containing four men plunged through the old concrete and metal pole fence nearby in 2004.

Then, villagers campaigned for a better barrier. Now local people, shocked by the latest tragedy, are asking how Miss Tranter's 4x4 could have gone through the repaired fence.

And they are calling for a proper crash barrier along the roadside to prevent this ever happening again.

Resident Kath Blanche, 42, said "It's devastating. You would have thought after the last time that they have learnt their lesson.

"They should have put up barriers after the first time, there should never have been a chance for a second accident."

Resident Debbie Newton, 41, added: "It's about time they did something about this road."

And she paid tribute to Miss Tranter, who was from Swffryd but had been staying with relatives in Llanhilleth while her new home was being built in the village: "You couldn't meet a nicer girl. She was beautiful and this is absolutely horrible.

"Her partner, Steven, is a really handsome man. The children are beautiful as well."

Swffryd man John Welch, 61, added: "She was a wonderful person and they are a lovely family. They had everything going for them.

"In a way I wish they had filled in the quarry. We fought against it because it's a beautiful sight, but this makes you wonder.

"They will have to put a crash barrier up before anybody else gets killed.

She wasn't a crazy driver at all, she was always very careful."

His partner, Janice Bernadine, 44, said: "There are so many crashes on the roads around here. It sometimes makes you want to move away because of all the disasters. Everybody's completely broken-hearted."

In neighbouring Llanhilleth, Mary Bowen, aged 74, of Kier Hardie Terrace, said: "She was a lovely looking girl, always bubbly and friendly, I've known her for years. She used to be the Avon lady, that's how I know her.

"I feel sorry for the family, especially the kiddies. She was a great mother, she'd do anything for those kids, and was genuinely just a nice person."

Mrs Bowen also said that this accident should never have happened.

"After the last accident up here, what did they do? The council just put up a wire fence and that was it," she said.

"We need something a bit more than that and you would have thought that after last time they would have learnt their lesson."

PANEL: A Blaenau Gwent council spokeswoman said " Our immediate thoughts are obviously with the family of the driver. 1.2 metre high steel railings were installed alongside the B4471 Swffryd road at the end of 2005.

"Whilst this is a police investigation, it would not be appropriate for the council to comment further on the incident itself."