THIS September will mark nine years since the death of young Stowmarket mum Vicki Bayliss.To this day, her devastated family still miss her and, although the years are slowly passing by the pain is still raw.

By Jessica Nicholls

THIS September will mark nine years since the death of young Stowmarket mum Vicki Bayliss.

To this day, her devastated family still miss her and, although the years are slowly passing by the pain is still raw.

The 21-year-old died from a melanoma on her brain, which took her all too suddenly from her loving family.

It is still and always will be a mystery as to where the cancer first started as the melanoma in the brain itself was considered to be a secondary cancer.

Despite an all over body scan at Addenbrooke's Hospital when the brain cancer was found, the primary source could never be located.

A previous article stated Vicki's brother's claim that she died from skin cancer but this was not the case and now Vicki's family want to put the record straight and pay their tribute to a beloved daughter, sister, wife and mother.

Vicki's illness began in April 1993 when she began to suffer severe headaches and doctors began treating her for migraines.

The bubbly, fun loving youngster suddenly began passing out in the street and losing track of time, even whole weekends.

By June that year her headaches had got so bad that doctors rushed her to hospital and she was finally diagnosed with the melanoma of the brain. There was nothing the doctors could do and she died on September 16.

It was a traumatic time for her family seeing the pretty young woman who loved to party, becoming so ill.

She had worked in the Stowmarket Asda store since she was 16.

In an added tragic twist Vicki was pregnant, but baby Craig was still-born on August 21. He was buried the week before she died.

Throughout her illness the close family were there for her, sitting up with her at night and being by her bedside on the night she finally passed away.

Although she had decided to move back into her family home, husband Les was never far away.

But that is not the way the family want to remember the woman who loved nothing more than going out and having fun and was never without her pink lipstick.

She also idolised her little daughter Amber, who had just turned one-year-old when Vicki died.

A cheeky practical joker her family still cannot help laughing at some of the things she used to do – even going as far as conning a friend into believing her fingernails would grow if she put her fingers into Miracle Grow.

When she died she left her mother Mavis, father Graham, brothers Graham, Simon and Matt and sisters Susan and Sarah and brother-in-law Wayne Morley.

Sadly the family also lost father Graham three years ago to a stroke.

The stories still tumble from their lips – the stilleto shoes Vicki would wear whatever the weather, the fact that she was always singing The Great Pretender and I've Had the Time of my Life from the film Dirty Dancing, how she loved to look good, washing her hair every day and simply the fact that she was loved by everyone who knew her.

Her mother Mavis said: "I always used to call her my princess.

"She was such a treasure.

"It is like being lop-sided without her, but I know her and Graham are together and that helps."

Her brother Graham said: "Vicki was great, there will never be anyone like her ever."