Scottish mum died in car crash on first day back at work after cancer treatment

A teacher died in a car crash on her first day back at work following her last radiotherapy session treating cancer.

Mum-of-two Caroline Nelson, 45, died on Monday in the smash with an elderly couple in another car who were taken to hospital.

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On September 21 Caroline had posted a jubilant Facebook post about her final day of radiotherapy treatment.

She told of treating herself to Ikea meatballs for tea and wearing Wonder Woman knickers.

Caroline had recently split from actor husband Sandy Nelson, who played Chris the postie in Still Game and also appeared in Braveheart.

At around the same time she began cancer treatment.

She worked as an assisted special needs teacher at Parklands School in Helensburgh and was heading there on Monday morning.

Caroline was involved in a crash on the A818 at Daligan, Argyll and Bute, and died at the scene.

She chronicled her experiences of cancer treatment on Facebook, and in June wrote: 'I have cancer and I'm single again. Not sure which will shock you more!

'I have been diagnosed with low grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Blood tests are good so I'm not a high risk at the moment.

'No obvious reason to get this, but because I was soooo run down, stressed and tired I truly believe the strain of a very difficult year is the basis for this.

'So my advice to you all is ask for help when things are tough and if you aren't heard, ask again and again until something is done.

'˜'I was in a ridiculously stressful situation and not fully supported.

'So being me and stubborn I kept going until I was ill, and this kind of ill is not what you want.

'Hopefully my outcome is good and I can still fulfil the dreams that I had put aside for years and be there for my boys.'

The former Glasgow School of Art student was fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support and had been doing so since before her diagnosis.

She had been married to husband Sandy for 11 years, and they had two sons, aged six and eight years old.

On August 29, she wrote: 'Cancer will affect all of us at sometime.

'I have to live with the possibility of the lymphoma returning for the rest of my life, those that assist us in dealing with this and through treatments are amazing people.'

Caroline began radiotherapy treatment on September 6, and posted about it up until the final day of treatment on September 21.

Her final post about the treatment said: 'Radiotherapy day 12...the final treatment (fingers crossed) 'Just HAD to wear my Wonder Woman pants again (lucky hopefully) 'Almost cried when I said goodbye to the girls in my treatment room.

'Treated myself to '˜meatballs' at Ikea for tea.

'Thanks for all your support and love and good wishes to all who are on this weird and scary journey too.

'Celebrating Autumn equinox with a firewalk tomorrow. New beginnings! Xx.'

A statement from her family said: 'Caroline's family are devastated and appreciate all the help and support they have received over the past few days.'

Sergeant Paul MacPherson appealed for witnesses to the crash at 9.10am on Monday involving Caroline's Vauxhall Meriva, on the A818 at Daligan, Argyll and Bute.

An elderly couple in another car were taken to hospital.

Sgt MacPherson said: 'Although a number of people stopped to assist at the time, I am still keen to hear from anyone who may have either witnessed the crash or indeed who saw the cars on the road prior to it happening.'