Former colleagues pay tribute to 'great woman'

Wendy Francis's former colleagues said she will be "really, really missed"

Former work colleagues of a Worcester woman have described her as a "great woman" after she was killed in a suspected murder.

Wendy Francis, 61, was found dead at a property in Haresfield Close, in the Blackpole area of Worcester, on Saturday evening.

Until her death, Ms Francis worked at Gwillams Farm Shop for almost 20 years, and developed close friendships with staff at The Fish Emporium on the same site.

Rachel Steele, owner of The Fish Emporium, said: "Everyone loved her and no one would ever have a bad word to say about her."

Ms Steele recalled how Ms Francis had made her feel "so welcome" when she first starting trading from her trailer in Worcester, 11 years ago.

"Wendy just made me feel so, so welcome and always checked to see I wanted tea and if I was ok," she said.

"She was really, really friendly and I could not have felt more welcome by someone and she always had such a smile and made everyone laugh.

"She is going to be really, really missed."

Ms Steele continued: "You would come in and you would be in giggles and it was just a pleasure to see her.

"She was kind, like really kind and she was a great, great woman."

Carole Wilde said she was "devastated" following Ms Francis's death.

"She would do anything for anyone.

"Her little head used to poke around there, around the door, and she would take the mick out of us.

"That is Wendy, our Wendy."

Murder charge

Damian Homer, 50, of Haresfield Close in Worcester, appeared at Warwick Crown Court on Wednesday via video link from HMP Hewell.

He is accused of the murder of Ms Francis and the attempted murder of Stacey Hill, 38, who is in a stable condition after she was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Judge Andrew Lockhart KC remanded Mr Homer back into custody to appear for a plea and trial preparation hearing on 2 April, ahead of a provisional trial date of 27 August.

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