PARENTS of a little girl who died suddenly at the weekend have today paid tribute to their daughter who was a bundle of joy to them.

By JOANNE CONSTABLE

joanne.constable@eveningstar.co.uk

PARENTS of a little girl who died suddenly at the weekend have today paid tribute to their daughter who was a bundle of joy to them.

Donna and Stevie Mayes, of Graham Road, Felixstowe, described their daughter Stevie as a typical eight-year-old who was lovely, funny and sometimes silly.

"She did care about everybody, just a total joy with any one who met her," said her mum, Donna.

Donna said she was a bundle of joy who was just the perfect daughter.

Stevie, who adored her brothers Daniel, 15 and Jason, 12, was a lively child who loved money, fashionable clothes and disco music.

"Her favourite pastime was going to town and getting dressed up and spending money with friends."

Her mum and dad said they gave her pocket money every week so that she could get dressed up in her latest fashion items – usually consisting of high heels and the 'flariest trousers' – and go out with some of her best friends Stephanie Bevan, Lauren Bere and Briley Coates to spend in the town centre.

Donna said they were sometimes amazed and puzzled by what she brought back from her weekly shopping spree bought with her five pound note. She used to bring back crayons, paper, folders, anything she thought would be useful to her and something she could use at her school, Causton Junior in Felixstowe.

"She loved school and she did think the world of Diane Squirrell, her teacher," said Donna.

Stevie loved reading, drawing and writing and almost anything to do with school, but her favourite game was playing shop. She would get her brothers to be her customers and she would sell them clothes at her pretend store and would always demand that she was the cashier and was earning the money rather than spending it as she did on her real weekly shopping trips.

Her parents had just bought her a dog, as she loved animals so much. Although her favourite animals were dolphins, she loved her new dog Patch, a collie cross, but could only enjoy her new friend for a week.

Steps, S Club and Blue were her favourite pop bands and as a lover of disco music the lively girl had a birthday party awaiting her in five weeks time.

Donna said she was not sure whether to cancel the party or not because she had promised her she would be able to get dressed up, wear her high heels and dance to her favourite bands with her friends.

She said: "She crazed and crazed for a disco and party with bubbles."

Her dad, a self-employed plumber, said he would like to make a big thank you to a number of people who had helped Stevie and the family.

He said he wanted to thank the paramedics Darren Storey and Chris Rose, who helped Stevie on Saturday night when she fell ill, and arrived promptly within eight minutes.

The family would also like to thank Linda, David and Danny their neighbours who helped them on Saturday and who have been of great comfort and support to them.

They said all the doctors and nurses at the Bergholt ward in Ipswich hospital who helped especially a ward sister called Leslie were wonderful in looking after Stevie.

Stevie said: "Her mum and dad and her brothers love her very much and will miss her always. We will never forget her and still hear her now. Every time I see money lying around I can hear her say 'can I go shopping'?"

Stevie, her dad, sent her a message, saying: "PS daddy has given you your pocket money." He said he still owed her five pounds which she did not spend at the weekend.

Young Stevie collapsed and died late on Saturday and a post mortem is to be held to establish the cause of death.