THE family of a cyclist fatally hit by a car on Monday has paid tribute to a “loving” daughter and sister.

Zoe Sheldrake, 31, died in a collision with a black Audi on the northbound stretch of the A41 Edgware Way, close to junction 4 of the M1, at about 7.30am on Monday morning.

Ms Sheldrake was a self-employed massage therapist and training to become a personal fitness instructor.

She was born in January 1979 in London, and lived in Old Street until she was two years old before her parents Bob and Sandra moved to Borehamwood.

She went to Meryfield School, in Theobald Street, Holmshill School, in Thrift Farm Lane, and Hillside School, in Hillside Avenue, in Borehamwood.

Her mother Sandra said: “She was lighter than life. She was a lovely person and very artistic. Growing up she loved going to school.

“She started playing the drums when she was 15 and she was in lots of school productions including Little Shop of Horrors and Bugsy Malone.

“She loved music and going out with her friends. You couldn’t have a better daughter. She was very loving and always put others before herself.”

Ms Sheldrake started running a stall on Borehamwood’s high street, Shenley Road, when she was 21 selling sports hats and later CDs.

She also recently made and sold jewellery as well as training as a massage therapist at Stanmore College and was going on to do a further course in Milton Keynes.

Mrs Sheldrake added: “With the recession the number of people she had calling for massages had cut down, so she decided to become a fitness instructor.

“She was so hard-working and dedicated and always wanted to be doing something.”

Ms Sheldrake's brother, Rob, 29, married his wife Jane in February and his sister took the couple’s wedding pictures.

Jane Sheldrake said: “She did a great job of talking all the pictures at our wedding in the Lake District. She put them all on DVD so we could have rolling pictures and she put captions in making it very special for us.

“She was great and we can’t believe what has happened. She will be missed.”

Zoe’s brother, Rob, is a service engineer for Birmingham company Air Link and was on a job in Leicester when he found out about his sister’s death.

He said: “We were connected in a strange way when we were younger. She’d be thinking something and I would get up and follow her and know exactly what she was going to do.

“She was very artistic. She would find a nice shell or a weird-looking stone and would make something out of it.

“We were a bit like a comedy double act. We would annoy each other as brother and sister but she would always look out for me.

“Even in school if I got into trouble she would always be there. Everyone would call her mother hen. She was as good as gold and a great sister.”

A post mortem is due to take place today and an inquest is set to open this week.

Witnesses are asked to contact the north west London collision investigation unit on 0208 998 5319.

Mr Sheldrake added: “The police have been fantastic and the contact with us has been outstanding.

“I hope witnesses will come forward.”