Aldi stabbing: Friends and family pay tribute to 'loving, caring' mother killed days before Christmas

Jodie Wilsher, 30, has been described by her brother as a 'fun loving, caring person'

A mother who was stabbed to death while working in Aldi just days before Christmas has been remembered as a “fun-loving, caring person” by loved ones.

Jodie Willsher was attacked in front of customers who pinned the knifeman down at the supermarket in Skipton, North Yorkshire.

The 30-year-old died of her injuries in hospital and a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The supermarket remained shut as investigators worked on Friday, with police officers, plain-clothed detectives and forensics specialists entering the building.

Half-filled shopping trolleys and items left at check-outs could be seen abandoned after the attack unfolded on Thursday afternoon.

Well-wishers, including some seen breaking down into tears, were leaving flowers at a police cordon, with one card reading: “To our dear beautiful sweet friend. We are all broken. Sorry we never got our girls' night, here a glass to you.”

Another said: ”Jodie, no words can explain how much you are going to be missed. You were truly one in a million.“

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Kelly Blagden, a former school friend of Mrs Willsher, said she worked at Aldi since it opened two years ago.

”She's a lovely girl, she was so in love [with her husband],” she added. “They were just the perfect relationship, they were so in love with each other and I just can't believe it really.

“We don't even know who did it. Nobody has said who it is. Still can't believe it really.”

Mal Willsher, her husband, changed his Facebook photo to a smiling picture with his wife and another showing Mrs Willsher with their four-year-old daughter.

Writing on Facebook, her cousin Chris Swales paid tribute to the “fun loving, caring person”

"How can life be so cruel, a selfless act by one person has left a husband without a wife and a little girl without her mother,” he added.

"You weren't just my cousin Jodie, you were like the sister I never had and now I'm broken you've gone. Be the brightest star in the sky and sleep tight.”

The budget store was due to open at 8am today, but the shutters remained closed (The budget store was due to open at 8am today, but the shutters remained closed an hour afterwards)

Andy Rankine, the mayor of Skipton, said the whole town was “in shock and grieving over the loss of Jodie”.

He added: “Skipton is a small but close-knit community where most people know each other.

“We are in shock about the sad events of yesterday where a store worker was murdered whilst going about her duties.

“Christmas this year will an ordeal for many residents.”

A former school friend of Mrs Willsher, who did not want to be named, lay down flowers describing the victim as an “absolutely lovely person”.

“I don't know anyone who had a grudge against her, she seemed, lovely, such a nice person,” he said.

”There's probably 20,000 people in Skipton and around 5,000 will know her, through school and working at the shop, it's that kind of small town.

“There's so many people she knew, so many people affected by it. It's shocking, an absolutely lovely person, never do any harm to nobody.

"She idolised her daughter. She put a snap on Facebook yesterday of her with her daughter cuddling in bed before she went to work.

"Nobody should ever go to work and not come home.”

One customer who was in the store at the time of the attack said she had “never been so scared in my life”.

The witness, who asked to remain anonymous, heard “loads of screams” then saw the victim lying on the floor and a man pinned down as “everyone screamed and ran up and down”.

“I was so scared I ran off,” she added. “All the staff were racing about, not knowing what to do.”

A 44-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

North Yorkshire Police said the incident was not terror-related or believed to be a hate crime.

“The suspect was initially detained by brave members of staff and public, before he was arrested by officers who were quickly on scene,” a spokesperson added.

"A police scene guard is in place at Aldi while enquiries continue."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

Additional reporting by PA