“MUMMY is in heaven and is an angel now.”

They are the words that a grieving dad has been forced to tell his little girl after her mum was found dead in suspicious circumstances at her Southampton home.

Gary Willoughby told how fouryear- old Octavia had been the centre of her mum Lucy Simms’ world and he has been left devastated that their daughter would now grow up without her.

In a moving interview with the Daily Echo, Gary led the tributes to the 26-year-old, whose body was found at her home in Vinery Road nine days ago – and praised the hundreds of people who have shown their support and made generous donations to help pay for her funeral.

He told how he was still “numb with shock” at the news of her death and he, like her family and many friends, have been left “tormented” by not yet knowing exactly how she died.

Lucy’s body was found by police, who were called to her home at 1pm.

They subsequently arrested a 48- year-old Southampton man on suspicion of murder and have released him on bail while toxicology tests are carried out, which are expected to take several weeks.

Gary said: “Lucy was unique – a very kind and loving individual. She had a creative side to her and enjoyed painting, poetry and art.

“She also did alternative modelling for magazines – she was very pretty and photogenic and into her body art, with lots of tattoos and piercings. “But most importantly Lucy was a loving mum. Octavia was her life and she would do anything for her. She was fun and outgoing and had such a large circle of friends – she was always the life and soul of the party and someone who was never in the background, but full of energy and with an amazing capability of making everyone smile.”

Gary, a musician, who runs his family business Guitarcentral in the city centre, and Lucy met by chance back in 2007 as he tried to arrange a tour for his band.

Living and working in Colchester, Lucy, who was the youngest of three children, was working in a bar and the two hit it off, fell in love and she relocated to Southampton.

Daily Echo:

They later got engaged, getting each other’s names tattooed on their ring fingers, but put wedding plans on hold when Lucy fell pregnant with Octavia.

“Lucy made a life for herself in Southampton and everyone loved her. We started our own little family and although we separated just a few months ago it was very amicable, we were close and we had our daughter, who was the most important thing to us both.”

Gary was told the shattering news of Lucy’s death in a call from police moments after they discovered her body last Tuesday while he was at work.

He said: “I am still in shock. I still feel numb. It’s like it isn’t real. Every time I look at Octavia’s face I still see Lucy. It is so sad to know that she will never see her mum again but Lucy’s legacy lives on in her now.”

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Money pours in as friends rally around

IT’S a show of “amazing support” that has spanned the world.

Just a few days after Lucy’s friends set up a dedicated fundraising page in her memory almost £4,000 has poured in to help pay for a fitting funeral and provide money for Octavia’s future.

Set up by her best friend Lauren the youcaring web page has been inundated with tributes and donations from friends who described Lucy as “beautiful”.

A separate fundraising day has also been arranged at The Gun Show tattoo studio in Hannover Buildings, Southampton, where Lucy was a regular.

The open house event takes place on June 29 when customers can buy tattoos or piercings – with new designs being specially created in honour of Lucy.

Throughout the day there will be live music, a raffle and the chance to pay your own tribute to Lucy – with tattoo artists working for free.

Gary said: “The support from everyone has been absolutely amazing, it’s all so positive and has really taken the weight off.

People have been donating from all over the world and Lucy has been mentioned on web pages
everywhere – everyone is just baffled by what has happened.”