A PENDLE grandmother who began a new life in the Middle East has been killed in a road accident in Dubai.

Teacher Barbara King was travelling back to her home in her LandRover following a day out in the neighbouring country of Oman when she was struck by 4x4 being driven by a 25-year-old local man.

The 63-year-old, formerly of Barnoldswick Road, Higherford, and a former cook at Blacko Primary School, was killed when she was thrown from the vehicle.

Her family said she was wearing a seat belt.

Today her distraught relatives paid tribute to an "inspirational woman" who touched the lives of everyone she met.

Her sons Michael and Glenn flew out to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, on Saturday to make arrangements for her to be brought back to the UK.

Michael's wife, Janet, of Pendle Street, Barrowford, said: "Barbara packed more into the last 10 years of her life than most did into their whole lives.

"She was younger than her years and was very outgoing. She loved travelling and going to new places and was extremely adventurous."

Barbara, who taught at Dubai's Al' Itihad Primary School, spent the summer holidays in Lancashire with family and stayed at Pendle Valley Caravan Park in Roughlee, where she had a caravan.

She had recently returned to East Lancashire to visit family and celebrate her granddaughter's 21st birthday. However, she flew back to Dubai a week earlier than planned because of the poor weather in the UK.

Barbara, who had also battled against a brain tumour, was affectionately known to her family and friends as Babs'.

She fell in love with Dubai when she went on holiday to the Middle East destination 10 years ago. She left her job at Blacko Primary School to study for a teaching degree as a mature student at Bradford University.

And she had recently bought a new apartment near Jumeirah Beach, a place that she was proud of and opened up to all her family and friends.

Janet added: "She was always inviting people to stay with her because she wanted everyone else to see how wonderful Dubai was. The whole family is still in shock. She will be sadly missed."

Barbara leaves sons Michael, Darren, Glenn and Jason; grandchildren Hayley, Lauren, Anthony, Jemma, Lizzie, Thomas, James and Shawn; sisters Maureen and Jacqueline and brothers Ian and Sean.

The funeral has yet to be arranged.

Police in Dubai have launched an investigation into the accident.

l Ali Alzabiy, 25, of Dubai has been arrested in connection with the incident.