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This is the first picture of the heavily-pregnant British mum who was crushed to death by an 18-wheeled truck in a horror crash in Thailand.

Popular vlogger Sophie Emma Rose hit the headlines last year after declaring women should nurse their children until they're at least eight.

The 41-year-old even once spoke to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on ITV's This Morning about her dedication to the cause.

She was six months pregnant with her second child when she was involved in the horror crash in Thalang, central Phuket, today.

She died after suffering fatal head injuries, while her boyfriend, Danny Glass, who was also in the smash, escaped with minor injuries.

(Image: sophiesjoy/Instagram)

(Image: sophiesjoy/Instagram)

Danny, 29, later took to Facebook to pay tribute to his "precious" partner, who is survived by her five-year-old son, Shaye.

He wrote: “Tragic news my girlfriend died in a scooter accident we had today. I am in total shock as I’ve lost the most precious person I had ever connected.

“My brain keeps going into denial. I am distraught. She was also pregnant so I lost my child too."

Sophie, originally from Blackpool, Lanacashire, died after a motorbike she was riding on the back of was allegedly struck by the truck.

(Image: sophiesjoy/Instagram)

(Image: Exclusivepix Media)

It is believed she was crushed under the larger vehicle's wheels.

Police were called to the scene in front of a store in Thalang at 12.10pm local time today (6.10am UK time).

Danny, believed to have been driving the motorbike, was conscious and suffered only minor injuries, officers said.

He was taken to hospital in a "state of shock" after the fatal incident, said Lt Col Sanit Nookong, of Thalang Police.

Meanwhile, Sophie was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

(Image: sophiesjoy/Facebook) (Image: sophiesjoy/Instagram)

Last year, the mum - who wanted to normalise the practice of breastfeeding older children - revealed how she fed her son Shaye on demand.

She also said she shared a bed with the youngster.

She began posting videos of herself breastfeeding around a year ago and had nearly 32,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel.

Sophie, who was living in Thailand with her partner at the time of her death, previously said: "Breastfeeding older children is so important.

"As well as the nutritional value of breast milk, you also let your child know in a very physical way that you are there for them.

(Image: Exclusivepix Media) (Image: sophiesjoy/Instagram)

" It's about the comfort and emotional connection...

"Breasts are not just sexual objects, this is what they're made for."

Appearing on This Morning, the mum described how YouTube was a "great medium" to show "what feeding an older child looks like".

She said: "I felt that in order to normalise breastfeeding it had to be shown, YouTube is such a great medium to show what feeding an older child looks like and to neutralise it."

She went on to claim that in the western world breasts have been sexualised - but they shouldn't be.

(Image: sophiesjoy/Instagram) (Image: ITV)

"We can feel sexual pleasure in our breasts but their primary function is to feed a child," she said. "I couldn't see any negatives, I couldn't see anything that made me want to stop before my son was ready, but the nutrition, the emotion, showing them that you're physically there for them like when they're upset, nothing really beats that."

However, a medical professional on the show refuted Sophie's claims and said that there was no health benefit for children to be breast fed after a certain amount of time.

(Image: ITV)

The doctor said: "From the age of two there is no nutritional benefit to breastfeeding a child, unlikely to be any harm either. Certainly in this country by school age we expect a child to be able to feed themselves."

The driver of the truck involved in today's devastating crash initially fled the scene, it is reported.

However, he has since surrendered himself to police.

He has been identified as Nattawoot Kimchue, 30, from Thai Muang in Phang Nga Province, north of Phuket.

Police have yet to confirm any charges over the accident.

A Foreign Office spokesman told Mirror Online: "We are providing support to a British man who was injured in a road traffic accident in Thalang, Thailand and are in contact with the local police.”