Tributes pour in for woman killed in attack while at work at Tui travel agents in Southport

Ellen Manning

Tributes have poured in to a woman killed after she was attacked at the travel agents where she worked.

Cassie Hayes was attacked at work at the Southport branch of holiday firm Tui on Saturday.

Police were called to the town centre store at 1.25pm and Ms Hayes was taken to hospital in an ambulance but died later from her injuries.

A 30-year-old man, from the St Helens area, is being questioned in custody on suspicion of murder over Ms Hayes’ death. The incident is believed to be domestic-related, said Merseyside Police.

As the investigation continued, friends and colleagues paid tribute to 28-year-old Ms Hayes, describing her as a “lovely person”.

<em>Tributes – friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Cassie Hayes, who died after she was attacked at the travel agents she worked in (Pictures: PA)</em>
Tributes – friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Cassie Hayes, who died after she was attacked at the travel agents she worked in (Pictures: PA)

Ms Hayes’s ex-partner Leah McDonald said on Facebook she was “heartbroken and numb”.

She wrote: “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.”

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“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. i am heart broken and numb. How anyone could do this to my cassie.”

Ms Hayes’s former boss Michael Richards wrote on Twitter: “To all who knew our AMAZING Cassie. I was lucky enough to of been her manager at Thomson (Tui) Southport. She made me laugh, cry and enjoy going to work every day and be in her company. She is one of life’s good ones.”

One former colleague wrote on Facebook: “Such sad news about Cassie, worked with her a few times when I was working for Tui and she was such a lovely person. Thoughts are with all my friends at Tui, Tui Southport and her family and friends. RIP Cassie xxx”

<em>Tributes – friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Ms Hayes on Facebook (Picture: Facebook)</em>
Tributes – friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Ms Hayes on Facebook (Picture: Facebook)

Another said: “So shocked to here the sad news about Cassie. Iv not worked for Tui for a while but the time I did and worked with Cassie she was such a lovely girl. RIP Cassie. Thinking of all the Southport girls and Cassie’s family”

Travel Gossip, an online community of travel professionals, has set up a GoFundMe page for Ms Hayes.

The appeal message read: “Everyone who works in travel has been deeply upset about what has happened to a fellow travel colleague, Cassie Hayes, in Southport on Saturday 13th January.

“Cassie was the assistant manager at the TUI store and was well-known to many in travel.

“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.

“Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by this terrible incident, including all the TUI staff. #agentsunited”

A Tui spokeswoman said: “We regret to confirm that a female member of staff at our Southport Tui retail store tragically died in an incident today. We send our deepest sympathies to the friends and family of the staff member involved.

“We’re doing everything possible to assist the local police with their investigation and support our customers and staff at this difficult time.”