A mother has paid tribute to her pregnant daughter, who died on St Valentine's Day.

A mother has paid tribute to her pregnant daughter, who died on St Valentine's Day.

Medics were called after Cassie Turton, who would have turned 27 today, was taken ill at home in her flat in Park Avenue, Kings Lynn.

Miss Turton, also known as Hammond, died on Friday with her family by her side at Papworth Hospital in Cambridge.

She also suffered from Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder of the connective tissues which affects the heart.

Mum Sandra Hammond-Grant, of Tyrell Crescent, South Wootton, who herself has had open-heart surgery for the condition, said her daughter had a 'wicked sense of humour'.

She said: 'We were best friends as well as mother and daughter. She used to take me shopping and we even had our belly buttons pierced together.'

Younger brother Ryan Turton, 21, said that his big sister Cassie 'always looked after me'.

Miss Turton was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at King's Lynn first before being transferred to Papworth.

She was born in Germany as her father Alan Turton was a member of the armed forces. She also had an elder brother, Brad, 31. The family settled in the King's Lynn area 16 years ago.

Mrs Hammond-Grant said her daughter was a 'tomboy' growing up. She said: 'She loved climbing trees, she was very sporty.'

Miss Turton was a pupil at All Saints Church of England Primary School in Great Ryburgh and then attended Alderman Peel High School in Wells.

Mrs Hammond-Grant said: 'She loved the company at school. She loved being with people.'

Mrs Hammond-Grant said her daughter also was very artistic, designing the Wells town sign after winning a competition. She turned on the Fakenham Christmas lights one year.

As an animal lover, she kept a house-trained pet rabbit which she would snuggle up with. Her mum said: 'I think her dream job would've been to work with animals.'

As a waitress from the age of 14, Miss Turton has worked at Fishes Restaurant in Burnham Market and the Green Quay in King's Lynn.

For the past four years, she been working as a restaurant supervisor at the Bank House, in Lynn.

Mrs Hammond-Grant said: 'She loved it, she loved serving people. Customers would often buy her little gifts.'

Her brother, Mr Turton described how she loved music.

Miss Turton lived by herself in her flat as she enjoyed her independence. Her mum said: 'She loved to have parties and listen to music.'

Her mum said that she was planning to get a tattoo of a cat in memory of her daughter. She said: 'I always called Cassie my little pussycat since she was little.'

A very popular young woman, she had received over a thousand 'likes' for her dedicated memorial page on Facebook.

In honour of her birthday, people who knew Miss Turton are invited to Bar Red tonight at 7pm where helium balloons will be released.

For those who cannot make it, the family has asked people to release sky lanterns from their homes in her memory.

? The funeral service will be on Tuesday March 4 at Mintlyn Crematorium at 12:15pm.