Death of mum, 27, stuns family

TOO young to die . . . Kelly’s death has not sunk in yet for those close to her

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DEVASTATED family members have spoken of their shock after a popular mother-of-two died from pneumonia.

Kelly Shaw, who was only 27-years-old, was found dead at her home in Whitecroft Avenue, Shaw, at 9.30am on Boxing Day.

Only hours before, Kelly had enjoyed a family Christmas with her two children Brandon (8) and Chantel (5) and partner of five years, Ian Wells.

Ian (38) said: “I’m devastated. I can’t get my head around it. I can’t think about a future without Kelly, it’s hard enough to think about getting through each day.”

Ian said Kelly had visited the Royal Oldham Hospital twice the weekend before Christmas after falling over in the house and banging her back.

She was given painkillers and told to put a board under her mattress, so Mr Wells moved a mattress onto the front room floor while he slept on the sofa.

He said: “Kelly also had an annoying cough but was still moving about and getting up on her own.”

On Christmas Day Kelly stayed home and rested while Ian took the children to visit relatives, and the family opened their presents in the evening.

The next morning, Ian woke at 9.30am to find Kelly had slipped off the mattress and would not wake up. He called for an ambulance and attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions but she was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem found Kelly died from pneumonia.

Ian, a cost analyst for a civil engineering firm, said: “She was a fit and healthy young woman.

“Kelly was a strong character and she made everyone know she was there. She was a really good mum and a great worker.

“She worked at Platt and Hill for about 10 years since leaving school and was well regarded there.

“I remember we started seeing each other when I used to work there, she just stood out.”

Kelly’s mother Patricia Senior (50), from Abbey Hills Road, Glodwick, said: “She phoned me on Christmas Day, wished me and her dad Kenneth a Merry Christmas and said she loved us.

“That’s the last time I spoke to her. It hasn’t sunk in yet.”