Mum was an amazing person who lit up a room

THE family of murder victim Sadie Hartley have paid tribute to a “fantastic”, well-loved woman who “lit up a room”.

Sadie’s daughter, brother and best friend issued heartfelt statements paying tribute to her following this week’s verdicts on Sarah Williams and Katrina Walsh.

Sadie’s daughter Charlotte Hartley recalled how she was given the devastating news of her mother’s death only three days after getting engaged.

Charlotte, 23, had travelled to Hawaii with her boyfriend and future parents-in-law when police contacted her at 4am to say her mum had been savagely murdered.

She said: “It was just indescribable. You never think it will happen to you. At that moment in time all you want to do is be back home, but I knew she wasn’t going to be there when I got back anyway.”

Charlotte, who is now having to plan her wedding without the support of her mother, added: “I would like her to be remembered for just the inspiration that she was to many people. She just literally lit up a room. She was just perfect. There was nothing bad about her that anybody could say. She was just a lovely, trustworthy, kind, loving woman and just cared about everybody.”

Sadie’s brother Graham Cook, 63, said she was a ‘warm, loving, caring and unassuming woman’ who ‘never did any harm to anybody’ and that ●● Sadie’s daughter Charlotte and brother Graham everyone is struggling to come to terms with the ‘senseless’ murder.

Mr Cook said: “We are going to strive to maintain, strengthen and reinforce our family ties, particularly with Harry and Charlotte (Sadie’s two children). I have no messages for Sarah Williams or Katrina Walsh and I have no feelings towards those two whatsoever. I feel nothing towards either of them.

“Our thoughts are with Sadie and we want to remember the fantastic woman that she was, have all good memories and think about all the good times we spent together. Sadie was a warm, loving, caring and unassuming woman. She was always respectful and considerate of others. Sadie was fun to be with, had a good sense of humour and always saw the funny side of life. Sadie was an intelligent, hard-working woman who made things happen. Sadie enjoyed life to the full and she loved being active, particularly through her love of horses.

“She never did any harm to anybody, got on with her life and actually did a lot of good for people, particularly through her business as well.”

Sadie’s best friend and business partner Julie Taylor spoke of the ‘devastating’ impact the death has had on herself and her colleagues.

Sadie was co-director of Hartley Taylor Medical Communications in Knutsford, Cheshire, and ●● Sadie Hartley loved horses worked for over 35 years in the pharmaceutical industry.

Julie said Sadie was a ‘very driven lady’ with a desire to make the world a ‘better place’.

She added: “Sadie was just lovely. A really warm, very caring woman, incredibly generous with her time. Anybody that came into contact with her just gravitated to Sadie. She was a good mentor and an incredibly nice woman.

“I know so many friends that looked up to Sadie, what she achieved in her life. Genuinely I don’t know anybody that didn’t like her. Anything she did she had to do to a high level and enjoyed doing it.

“I would like her to be remembered as someone who people gravitated to, got a lot of enjoyment from being with, and a truly inspirational lady.

“She was much-loved by everybody who came into contact with her.”