The mother of Birmingham hit-and-run victim Abigail Craen has released a picture of her daughter lying dead in a hospital bed in a bid to help catch the student's killer.

"By releasing this photograph I want to bring home the message that she was alive and now she isn't," she said.

"Whoever did this should not be allowed to get away with it.

"Hopefully it will be enough to encourage anyone with information about Abigail's death to contact the police."

Abigail was struck down on Pershore Road, Edgbaston, near her halls of residence, after a driver ran a red light on a pelican crossing.

The 20-year-old, who was just five weeks into a medical degree, suffered brain damage in the crash and was pronounced dead just hours later.

Yesterday, at the opening of an inquest into Abigail's death, Mrs Craen said: "We do not want our own back. We just want to make sure the driver is never behind the wheel of the car again.

"We never want another family to go through what we have gone through. So many people have been hurt terribly by what has happened."

Mrs Craen, who lives near Petersfield, Hampshire, revealed her daughter had made liver and kidney donor requests, which were carried out.

"That was the only good that could come out of what happened and we have been told that people have benefited from her decision," she said.

"It was a struggle getting her to Birmingham University but she had thrown herself into everything she could in

the last few weeks.

"She had joined the Territorial Army, the swimming team and the drama club - she was having an absolute ball."

Mrs Craen told how her daughter had left the flat she shared with four other students in Hunter Court just minutes before she was knocked down on Sunday.

"Abigail had only gone out to get some money from the bank when it happened.

"The lights were red and she was crossing as the green man was flashing. She was in the right.

"The police think she was carried 20 or 30 feet along the road on the bonnet of the car before she was thrown off.

"They think she might have gone through the windscreen because there was smashed glass all over the road. The driver didn't stop or even brake."

Mrs Craen, a mother-offour, said: "I feel devastated. We all do. Abigail had a huge amount to offer. She was just an incredible person and had friends all around the world. She will be terribly missed."

After the accident Abigail, who would have been 21 on December 7, was rushed to Selly Oak Hospital where she was kept on a life support machine as her family travelled to be at her bedside.

When Mrs Craen got to the hospital, doctors told her her daughter had irreparable brain damage and had little hope of surviving the crash.

Abigail was pronounced dead at 1.10pm on Monday.

Mrs Craen said: "We gathered around her bedside and talked to her all the time about everything, about wanting her to get better and being together again.

"We held her hand and stroked her head. It was then that we found out that she wanted to make liver and kidney donations. We then gathered around her bed, washed Abigail and said goodbye. Abigail looked so beautiful, so pretty."

* Anyone who saw the collision at around 5pm on Sunday, or who knows the whereabouts of the dark coloured car involved, should contact Woodbridge Road police station on 0845 113 5000.