I've lost my light, says mum of holiday death girl Chelsea

Chelsea Hyndman, 20, died on the Greek holiday island on May 17 after suffering ruptured internal organs.

Her mother Heather, 45, said she was keeping strong for her daughter Chelsea's six-year-old sister, Mia, and vowed to keep the memory of her "best friend and perfect daughter" alive.

Chelsea's 22-year-old boyfriend, Luke Walker, of the West Midlands, has been charged with her murder.

Mrs Hyndman, of Castleford, said: "My girls are the light of my life and now I've lost some of that light.

"I'm glad I've got Mia. I've got to keep strong for her and have got to take care of her because that's what Chelsea would have wanted.

"I see so much of Chelsea in Mia - they are like two peas in a pod. Chelsea was always smiling and was always happy.

"She was full of life, that's for sure. She was very outgoing, loved travelling and was really organised.

"She did what she wanted to do and lived life to the full."

Chelsea, who had planned to work in the resort of Malia for the summer, died a day after she was admitted to hospital in the Crete capital Heraklion suffering from severe abdominal pain.

She was transferred to the Venizelio hospital where she had an emergency operation but died in the intensive care unit.

Mrs Hyndman was due to fly to visit her daughter in hospital but her flight had been cancelled because of the volcanic ash cloud.

She was told Chelsea had died before she was able to travel - Heather and Chelsea's stepfather Neil Lorriman, 32, later flew to the holiday island to bring their daughter's body home.

"Everyone in Crete was so supportive and looked after us. While we were there we went down to the beach with Mia and around 40 or 50 of Chelsea's friends to release Chinese lanterns in her memory.

"As they were floating in the sky a shooting star went past. It was extremely emotional.

"Seeing where she worked and meeting her friends out there showed how she really did live life to the full.

"Her friends had set up a bar in her memory called Chelsea Jayne's. It's incredible to see how she touched so many lives.

"We will all go back there next year to mark the anniversary of her death."