Tributes for a young mum killed in a car crash in Penge have started to pour in as her eight-month old baby boy fights for his life.

Nicole Newman, 23, and her baby Luciano were hit by a car last night (January 13) in Croydon Road at around 8pm.

The mum and her boyfriend Charlie Bianco-Ashley, 25, were childhood sweethearts and had been together for 10 years.

Little Luciano is in a critical condition.

READ ALSO: Mum dead, baby injured after crash in Croydon Road, Penge

Charlie's mother Gabriella Bianco-Ashley said the couple were "perfect for each other".

Speaking about her grandson, she said: "He has had to be resuscitated twice. I'm about to go to the hospital now. The baby's got to have surgery. He's going to have a scan and then he's going to have surgery.

"There's something wrong with his vertebrae."

The grandmother described Nicole as a "lovely girl" and said they lived together for a a year while she was pregnant and just after the baby was born.

She said the couple recently moved into a privately-rented flat – paid for by warehouse worker Charlie.

Mrs Bianco-Ashley added: "They have been sleeping on the floor for the last year. They have been together since they were 12.

"The baby is eight and a half months old now and they have their own little flat. They could not get a flat from the council and they went private.

"I called them yesterday as I had not seen them, and I usually see them every day. Charlie said 'we are watching a film'.

"Then a few hours later this happens.

"As soon as I heard I took a minicab, I ran out into the road and Charlie pulled me back and said 'I don't want you to be killed too'.

"This car came from nowhere.

"They were going to drop the baby up to her mum's. Because it's a quicker way to walk. There were no cars on the road and the car came from nowhere."

John Jones, a close family friend of Nicole, told News Shopper she was "an angel".

"I have known her since she was six months old," John said.

"She was very bubbly and liked to enjoy life. She wanted to be a beauty therapist.

"Nicole would do anything for anybody. She was an angel and always will be an angel, a joy to be around."

Lauren Bellew, 24, has known Nicole since they went to St Paul’s Cray primary school together. 

The pair were in the same class from year 1-6, and Lauren described her old friend as a “beautiful soul”. 

She told News Shopper: “In primary school she was as crazy as I was. We used to have the same group of friends and we pretended we were in a band like the Sugababes and Girls Aloud. 

“She also lived on the estate my childminder lived on and we used to play around there with our girl friends after school everyday. 

“She was very much a girlie girl, loved her makeup. She loved her hair styling and colouring. 

“One minute she’s blonde the next she’s brunette. Nicole always looked stunning.”

The 51-year-old driver of the car was also injured but has now been discharged from hospital and is helping police with their enquiries. He has not been arrested.

Anyone with any information is urged to call police on 101, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.