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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Alice Peacock

Devastated dad of 'bright star' Elle Edwards joins fresh police appeal to catch killers

The family of Elle Edwards have paid tribute to the 26-year-old as "someone you instantly fell in love with" as police have issued a plea to the public saying they "need answers".

Elle's grieving father Tim Edwards appeared during a press conference over the murder investigation at Merseyside Police headquarters in Rose Hill, Liverpool on Friday morning.

Mr Edwards was visibly upset as he sat, silent, while detective superintendent Sue Coombs read a statement on behalf of the family which remembered Elle as a "beautiful" and "bright" woman.

“Her looks, her laugh and the way she would light up a room as she walked in. She had this way about her that as soon as you met her, you instantly fell in love with her.

“She loved life, and had so many amazing plans for the future. She was only just getting started," the statement said.

“Christmas in our family will never be the same without her, she was the glue that held this big family together. We will love and miss her forever, our Ellie May, the most beautiful and bright star out there, forever and always."

Elle Edwards' dad appeared solemn as the family statement was read out by police (Sky News)

Detective Coombs went on to appeal to people in the community for help.

She said: “We know that the answers to this lie within our communities.

“So my appeal to you is please tell us what you know and help us get justice for Elle’s family.

“Particularly, we want information about the whereabouts of a dark coloured Mercedes that was in the Lighthouse public house carpark before the incident.

Moving tributes have been paid to Elle Edwards, 26, who was gunned down on Christmas eve (Liverpool Echo)
Elle was not believed to have been the intended target of the shooting (PA)

“We want to know where it came from and where it’s gone since then.

“If you’ve got information but don’t want to speak to a police officer directly, please contact us via Crimestoppers.”

Elle was at the Lighthouse Inn pub in Wallasey Village, near Liverpool, when she was struck by a stray bullet at around 11.50pm.

Her friends Meg and Jess who were partying wither her at the pub, went back to the scene to lay tributes and described how they mistook the gunshots for "fireworks".

Detective superintendent Sue Coombs read a statement on behalf of the family (Sky News)

They said everything changed in a "split second".

Police have confirmed Elle was not believed to have been the intended target of the shooting, during which four men were also injured.

Her dad's appeal comes after the news this morning that a 30-year-old man from Tranmere who was arrested on suspicion of Elle's murder has been recalled to prison on licence.

Merseyside Police have confirmed Elle was not believed to have been the intended target of the shooting, during which four men were also injured.

The moment police swooped to arrest suspect in Elle Edwards murder probe, captured in drone footage (Twitter/@MerseyPolice)

They said on Friday morning that a 19-year-old woman from Rock Ferry had also been bailed, while a 31-year-old man arrested in connection with the murder remains in custody.

The force said two other people arrested in connection with the death have been released from custody.

It also emerged on Thursday that the gunman who killed beautician Elle fired into the doorway 12 times.

Police tape continues to cordon off the Lighthouse Pub where Elle Edwards was fatally shot (Getty Images)

Three series of shots were fired from what sounded like an automatic pistol, CCTV from a nearby shop has revealed.

Elle, 26, was hit in the head and four men were injured, one seriously, at the Lighthouse Inn in Wallasey, Merseyside.

Seconds after shots are heard in the CCTV, people are seen fleeing in terror.

As fellow pub customers tried to save Elle’s life the gunman fled in a dark-coloured A-Class Mercedes.

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