Cassie Hayes’ heartbroken family today told how they are living a ‘nightmare’ as they deal with the popular Alnwick travel agent’s death.
Cassie, 28, died from an alleged knife attack on Saturday in the Southport TUI shop where she was working.
Her grieving uncle, Vincent Fife, has spoken about the shock Cassie’s family are in, describing the past few days as a “nightmare”.
Vincent and Cassie were very close, as he filled a stepdad-like role after Cassie’s dad died when she was just a teenager.
Vincent, 55, from Alnwick, told Chroniclelive: “She was just the most delightful soul. She was just an amazing lass, it was a privilege to have had her.”
Former Duchess’s Community High School pupil Cassie moved from Northumberland to Merseyside a decade ago. She worked in Thomsons travel agents, which became TUI, and rose to become assistant manager at the Southport branch. Floral tributes and cards remembering the popular mum with a “cheeky Geordie accent” lie outside the shop.
Former colleague Gordon Campbell described Cassie as a “gentle, funny, cheeky girl” who was an “amazing mummy” to the daughter she raised with former partner Leah McDonald.
He said: “She was probably the funniest person I’ve ever worked with, she was always smiling and being silly.
“She was so gentle and sweet, it’s hard to comprehend that someone would do that.”
Ms McDonald, who described herself as “heartbroken and numb”, has paid tribute online.
She wrote: “What can I say? This girl was and has been my absolute world from the first moment we met on the July 4, 2007, till this very day.
“We had are fall outs, our ups and downs but I can tell you now, despite all, that we absolutely loved each other and out of all the people in the world I could not of picked a better mammy for our child.
“She’s just a gem, my best mate, Even when we split she was there for me ... this girl has been my rock and the most amazing mammy.”
Colleagues in the travel industry have set up a fundraising page, with the proceeds going to Cassie’s family.
So far, more than £5,000 has been raised.
The appeal message says: “Many of us never met Cassie but we *know* that if we did, we would have thought she was great. We know, because we are travel.
“We understand that Cassie had a daughter, and so on behalf of everyone in travel I would like to propose that we come together and contribute to fund to help Cassie’s family as they see fit.”
•Andrew Burke, 30, of Vincent Street, St Helens, has been charged with murdering Cassie and possessing an offensive weapon.
Burke appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday morning. He spoke only to confirm his name and address. Cassie’s family were in tears as the charges were read out.
Burke is due back in court on Monday, February 19, ahead of a trial scheduled for Monday, July 2.
