Beverley O'Sullivan Killed in Car Crash

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The boyfriend of tragic Irish pop singer Beverley O'Sullivan was behind the wheel when the couple were the victims of a horror car crash in India on Monday.

Ms O'Sullivan (28) died in the accident, while her boyfriend Stephen Reeves (32) was taken off the critical list last night.

The singer was a cousin of Amy Fitzpatrick, the 15-year-old Irish girl who disappeared in mysterious circumstances in Spain in January 2008, Ms OSullivan made a song called Rainbows for her missing cousin. You can download Rainbows here.

Tributes to the former lead singer of the band Fifth Avenue were led by Brian McFadden, the former Westlife member, who was close to the singer because his best friend managed her band.

"It's very, very sad -- very tragic," he said last night. "She was a lovely girl and a lovely singer. The girl was beautiful, it's just a tragedy. She was just starting to get her career back on track again and she had a bright future ahead of her.

"I brought them (Fifth Avenue) on tour with Westlife when they were starting out because I was best friends with Mark Murphy, their manager, so I got them a slot with us."

Mark Murphy last night described Beverley as "the perfect pop star". He said he was "lost for words" as he tried to talk about his loss. "I'm just trying to come to terms with it," he said. "It's been a massive shock.

Perfect

"She was just the perfect pop-star -- she could sing, she could dance, she was good-looking, she could do everything. She's as good as anyone I've ever worked with. It's a tragic loss."

Westlife, who spent three years touring with her, yesterday told of their anguish upon hearing what happened. Mark Feehily said he was "devastated" and that "a real talent has been lost". He added that Beverley was "a great friend to the band, and she will be sorely missed".

The couple left Ireland for India on Sunday for a six-week break. The smash happened on the road between Agra and Jaipur in the Bharatpur area in the north west of the country.

While her immediate family declined to comment last night, her granduncle Philip O'Sullivan said: "It's tragic. We are all so shell-shocked."

The Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday there was "no word" on when the body will be repatriated, and that the Irish Embassy in India was providing consular assistance to her family.

Ms O'Sullivan has supported Shaggy, and performed alongside stars such as Shakira and The Sugababes. Since the band's break-up in 2006, she has been working as a hired singer for weddings, funerals and evening entertainment.

- Colin Gleeson

Irish Independent