ONE of the young people who survived last weekend's horror crash on the A48 has been left "unrecognisable" after having life-saving surgery, her mother has said.

Sophie Russon, 20, from Newport, was one of five people in the crash, in which Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 20, and Rafel Jeanne, 21, died.

Ms Russon, along with Shane Loughlin, 32, remains at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff in critical condition.

Now Ms Russon's mother Anna Certowicz has spoken of how her daughter was left lying next to the bodies of her friends for 46 hours.

South Wales Argus: Sophie is 'unrecognisable' from her injuries Sophie is 'unrecognisable' from her injuries (Image: Newsquest)

Sophie is 'unrecognisable' from her injuries. Picture: Newsquest

Speaking to The Sun, Ms Certowicz said: “She’s in shock and has a lot of injuries. You can't recognise her.”

“She was in the car with bodies all around her, that’s a lot for anybody.”

Ms Russon fractured her skull, broke her neck and spine and suffered a bleed on the brain.

South Wales Argus: The five people involved in the crashThe five people involved in the crash (Image: Newsquest)

The five people involved in the crash. Picture: Newsquest

Families of the crash victims have paid tribute to their loved ones. writing on the South Wales Argus Facebook page Darcy Ross’ relative Elizabeth Sellwood said: “RIP my darling girl love nan x.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the two police forces who dealt with the search.

Speaking in the Senedd on March 8, Plaid Cymru MS Mr Griffiths said the Welsh Government should be involved in the investigation due to the implications the crash may have on communities.

“There’s been a great deal of public distress following the crash," he said.

“It would be wrong to pre-empt any findings of such an investigation, but you cannot ignore disquiet from the families and friends of the crash victims."

South Wales Argus: Tuesday's vigilTuesday's vigil (Image: Newsquest)

Tuesday's vigil. Picture: Newsquest

Hundreds of people have attended a vigil to pay their respects to the three people killed in the fatal crash on Tuesday evening, lighting up the sky with a sea of fireworks to remember the victims.