Rebecca White was cut free from the wreckage by firefighters and rushed to Wrexham Maelor Hospital following the crash, which happened in Sychdyn at about 3.20am on New Year's Day.

Despite frantic efforts to save her, Rebecca, from Kinmel Bay, Denbighshire, was pronounced dead at 8am the same day.

In a statement, her parents, Caroline and Frank White, said: "Rebecca was just 17 years old and the collision happened the day after her 17th birthday.

"She grew up in the Prestatyn and Kinmel Bay areas and attended Emrys ap Iwan School in Abergele until just recently. She was about to start a new job as a hairdresser.

"She was a much loved daughter, sister, auntie and grand-daughter and we are all devastated by what has happened."

Rebecca had been a passenger in the dark blue Ford Fiesta, which crashed opposite the Penybryn junction with the A5119.

The driver of the car, a 19-year-old man, remains in hospital with serious injuries.

Mold councillor Haydn Bateman, who lives near the site of the crash, said: "We were woken up by a very loud bang and saw that the car had crash into a telegraph pole.

"I don't know how it happened because it is a very straight, well-lit road and the conditions were dry.

"The emergency services were excellent. They were all there in no time at all and they had to cut both people out of the car."

Police say no other car was involved in the collision, but are appealing for witnesses to contact them on 0845 607 1002.