Published at 10:41, Saturday, 14 November 2009

THE funeral of an RAF hero who died following a car crash takes place on Monday.

Friends and family of Michelle Jurd, 41, will attend a service at St Paul’s Church in Grange from 1.30pm.

This will be followed by the cremation at Lancaster Crematorium.

Mrs Jurd, a former RAF officer, died on November 5 after her Citroen car was involved in a crash with a HGV on the A590 at Gilipin Bridge, near Levens.

The mother-of-two, who was originally from Poulton-le-Fylde, had lived in Eden Mount Road, Grange, with her husband Neil and daughters Matilda, four, and Elsa, two, since last year.

Mrs Jurd became the first female RAF officer to qualify as a navigator on Puma helicopters.

Her career saw her rise to the rank of Squadron Leader.

Mrs Jurd’s operational service began in Belize in 1993.

She later saw active service in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, and Iraq.

In Iraq her commanding officer was hugely impressed by her bravery when, in an intense sandstorm, she led an operation deep into enemy territory to recover soldiers likely to be overrun by the enemy.

Mrs Jurd spent two years working as a navigation instructor for young officers learning to fly Puma helicopters.

Donations in memory of Mrs Jurd will be shared between two military charities, the Gurkha Welfare Trust and Help for Heroes.

Donations can be left in St Paul’s Church or sent to Little and Caine, Beech Cross, Kents Bank Road, Grange.

A memorial service is being arranged but the date is yet to be confirmed.

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk