Wallasey pub shooting: Elle Edwards a beautiful bright star – dad

The father of Elle Edwards, who was fatally shot in a pub on Christmas Eve, has said she was “the most beautiful and bright star”.

The family of Ms Edwards, who was hit outside The Lighthouse in Wallasey, need answers, police said.

Her loved ones said the beautician, who was not thought to have been the target of the attack, was “the glue that held this big family together”.

A Tranmere man, 31, remains in custody on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

In a statement read by Merseyside Police on their behalf, the family said: “There was no-one as beautiful as our Elle May.

“Her looks, her laugh and the way she would light up a room as soon as she walked in.

“She had this way about her that as soon as you met her you just instantly fell in love with her.

“Everyone that met Elle knew how special she was.”

The family said 26-year-old’s Elle’s laugh was “infectious”, adding that “anyone who was around her had a good time”.

Elle had “so many amazing plans for the future”, they said. “Christmas and our family will never be the same again without her.”

With Ms Edwards’ father Tim Edwards alongside her at a news conference, Det Supt Sue Coombs said: “Elle’s family are understandably devastated by her shocking and needless death.

“They need answers and now it’s more important than ever that people come forward and tell us what they know.”

She urgently appealed for information about a dark-coloured Mercedes in the pub car park that was used in the attack.

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

Det Supt Coombs went on to say: “We need people to take a stand against criminals.

“These people don’t deserve to be walking our streets, they don’t deserve to be protected, they belong in prison.

“We’ve already spoken to a large number of witnesses and reviewed a vast amount of CCTV footage and we are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry still.

“We are committed to finding the persons responsible for Elle’s death and putting them behind bars.”

Ms Edwards died after several shots were fired towards the entrance of The Lighthouse at about 23:50 GMT on 24 December.

The condition of a 28-year-old man critically hurt in the shooting is no longer life-threatening, police said.

Three other injured men have been discharged from hospital.

In addition to the man still being held, another Tranmere man, aged 30, who was previously arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, has been recalled to prison.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old woman from Rock Ferry, who was held on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, has been released on bail.

By Rowan Bridge, BBC News, Liverpool

Tim Edwards, Elle’s father, sat silently, looking straight ahead during the news conference.

The police said it was important for him to be there, but it was clearly a difficult experience and he couldn’t read the family statement out.

The media were asked not to ask him any questions, and at the end he got up and walked out with the detective superintendent.

In the room, the atmosphere was sombre and subdued.

This was a news conference where the weight of events hung heavy on everyone.

An afternoon of prayer for Ms Edwards and her family is being planned for Saturday at the Holy Apostles and Martyrs in Wallasey.

Canon Philip Moor, who said his niece and nephew were also at the pub at the time of the shooting, said the community was “extremely shocked” and “devastated”.

Saturday’s gathering would be a chance for the community to pray, light a candle and “come together”, he said.

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