A teenage beauty queen has opened up about her agony after she saw her mother killed right in front of her when she was just a child.  

Olivia Lucas, from Swansea, was eight years old and holding her mother’s hand when Louise Lucas, a police sergeant, was fatally struck by a bus. 

The mother and daughter had been on a shopping trip and were crossing a road when Louise was tragically dragged under the vehicle. She was 41 years old.

Olivia, now 18 and studying sport and media at Swansea University, suffered minor injuries after the accident that killed her mother – but was left with post traumatic stress disorder and a lifetime of grief.

A decade on from that fateful day, Olivia, who is taking part in the Miss Wales beauty pageant, hopes to win a place in the Miss World competition where she hopes to be a voice for other people who have experienced trauma. 

She explained how she initially tried to ‘blank out’ the horrors of her mother’s death, which occurred in March 2015, but that led to further problems.

‘It is something that is quite common. The only way your mind and body can cope is to blank it out. But then that led to other issues,’ she said.

Olivia Lucas (pictured), 18, is taking part in the Miss Wales beauty pageant and hopes to win a place in the Miss World competition to empower other young women

Olivia was just eight when her mother Sergeant Louise Lucas, 41, was struck by a bus 

Louise Lucas (pictured) and Olivia had been out shopping when, crossing a road, the policewoman was dragged under a bus

Olivia’s brother Grant, who is also a police officer, uses his late mother Louise’s number as part of his badge

‘I was in year four at the time and had been doing well in school but I suddenly developed dyslexia, had symptoms of post traumatic stress syndrome and I was definitely OCD.

‘I missed a lot of school for a bit, but there was a lot of support in school from my friends and the teachers and I have had hours and hours of counselling and I got through and now I am in my first year of university. 

‘Time does heal, but you don’t just click your fingers and feel better.’

After her mother was killed, Olivia’s dad Gavin stepped up to become both mother and father to her and her two brothers Grant and Lloyd.

‘My grandparents, friends and the local community have been great too but dad has been there for us all and been so supportive,’ she said. ‘On Mother’s Day we always say thank you to him.’ 

Olivia’s brother Grant became a police officer and uses his late mother’s number as part of his badge while Lloyd plays rugby.

The teenager added: ‘I have never missed any of his games, but dad has been our strength through it all.

‘We just all want to make sure we are making our mum proud, and helping other young people is an important part of that for me.’

Olivia, who is a sport and media student at Swansea University, wants to show other young women that it’s possible to achieve ‘anything you want in life’ even after losing a parent 

The blonde beauty suffered post traumatic stress after her mother’s fatal accident in March 2015 

She hopes to set a good example to other youngsters who have lost loved ones by entering Miss Wales

Olivia wants to show others that it’s possible to achieve happiness even after enduring a loss

Louise Lucas (pictured) was mother to Olivia, Lloyd and Grant. She was just 41 when she was killed

Olivia is now determined to help other young people and hopes that by entering Miss Wales she can set a good example.

She said: ‘I still find some things difficult. Driving on the motorway scares me because the cars are going so fast and I can still flinch when I see a bus but the hours of counselling have been useful because they have helped me to understand what works for me and part of that is helping others. 

‘If that works for me, it will work for others.

 ‘I would love it if other young people could look at me and see that I can still be happy despite what has happened – and that helps them.’

An inquest heard that road layout of the Kingsway, in Swansea, may have contributed to Louise’s death.

As she embarks upon her beauty pageant journey, Olivia says: ‘I want to empower young women to believe that they can go through the toughest of times but still come out the other end and be in a happy place.

‘I understand how important it is to have support and having the platform of Miss Wales to help others is important.

‘I want to be a role model to young people who have suffered loss and I want them to believe no matter what they go through they are strong enough and you have got to believe in yourself and you can accomplish anything you want in life.’