Preston man pays tribute to friend with 'heart of gold' murdered at Tui travel agents

Ex-colleague Gordon Campbell, from Preston, 44, said he would always remember the sound of laughter when they worked together.

He said: "We used to do a late shift and it was often just me and Cassie, and she would have me in tears.

"The things she would come out I probably couldn't repeat them to be honest but she was just so mischievous all the time.

Police outside a travel agents in Southport where woman was attacked and was taken to hospital, where she later died from her injuries

"But happy, full of love and she had an absolute heart of gold. She will be most definitely missed by everybody that knew her.

"She had quite a lot that had gone on but she never took a smile off her face ... she was a little slip of a girl and to think what happened to her is tragic."

Ms Hayes, 28, died in hospital from a wound to her throat inflicted on Saturday afternoon at the Tui branch in Southport where she was assistant manager.

A post-mortem examination showed the cause of death was shock and haemorrhaging as a result of the wound.

In a statement issued via Merseyside Police, her partner, Laura Williams, said: "Cassie is my partner and words will not explain my sorrow and loss.

"She is the most amazing, gorgeous, selfless and strong person I know. She is my future wife and my forever."

The family of Ms Hayes added: "Our whole lives have been shattered.

"This has torn our hearts from our bodies.

"Cassie was an amazing, kind human being who would do anything for anyone.

"She doted on all her family and our loss is beyond calculation."

Friends of Ms Hayes, from Southport, were among those who brought floral tributes to the crime scene in Chapel Street on Sunday.

Her ex-partner was among many paying tribute online to Ms Hayes who was originally from the market town of Alnwick, Northumberland, where her mother and sister live.

Leah Mcdonald, from Southport, wrote on Facebook: "What can I say.

"This girl was and has been my absolute world from the first moment we met on the 4th July 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."

In a later post about their daughter, Ruby, she said: "As if my heart couldn't break anymore having to watch my little girl break down crying as I tell her that mammy has gone with her nana to the angels telling her she's never going to see her again ... ruby asking why did she go without her?? "

A man has been charged with the murder of travel agent Cassie Hayes who was attacked at her workplace.

Andrew Burke, 30, of Vincent Street, St Helens, will appear from custody at South Sefton Magistrates' Court in Bootle on Monday.

A fundraising appeal on website GoFundMe has already raised more than Â£4,000, set up by Travel Gossip, an online community of travel professionals.