Overview
- Ava Gillies, 26, was pronounced dead at the scene after a black Audi A4 collided with her white Volkswagen Polo on the A170 on Wednesday, July 29.
- Five occupants of the Audi were taken to hospital with injuries described as varying in severity and not thought to be life‑threatening.
- Gillies’s family released a tribute praising her work and character, asked the media not to contact them, and said funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
- North Yorkshire Police closed the A170 for specialist collision investigation work and are urging anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage to email sciu@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101 quoting reference 12260145114.
- Gillies was an early‑career hair and make‑up professional with credits on major film and TV productions and trained at the Delamar Academy, whose public tribute and industry messages have highlighted the personal and professional loss to her community.