Two shop workers who
were in a relationship were stabbed to death in one of Britain's busiest
shopping streets as they left a night shift this morning.
Matalan employees Zoe
Morgan, a 21-year-old window dresser, and shop assistant Lee Simmons, 34, were
attacked and killed as they left the store in Cardiff's Queen Street.
A colleague said:
'This is a terrible tragedy. They had only started seeing each other and made a
lovely couple. We are all in bits.'
The farmhouse home of
20-year-old hotel worker Andrew Saunders was today searched by police
investigating the deaths.
Sales assistant Lee
and fashion graduate Zoe met while working shifts together - and he dubbed her
his 'Tinkerbell'.
But they pair were
attacked at 5.50am as they left the store, which is Matalan's first high street
branch in Britain.
Police officers
flooded Cardiff's main Queen Street at around 6am after the couple were found
dead outside high street stores Boots and Matalan.
The city centre street
was cordoned off by uniformed officers and dozens of businesses were forced to
close.
Heartbroken colleagues
said the couple had been together for less than four months after striking up a
romance while working.
Zoe, who lived with
her parents Mark, 49, and Julie, 48, had studied fashion at the University of
South Wales before landing the job as a visual merchandiser at the Matalan
store in June.
The family had just
returned for a holiday in Ibiza. A neighbour said: 'She had her whole life in
front of her - she was full of fun. Her parents will be in a terrible state
because they doted on her.'
nother neighbour
added: 'She was so excited about starting work and everything was going so well
for her.
'Zoe went off to work
as normal but never came home. She was a beautiful girl and this is terrible.'
Lee, of Grangetown,
Cardiff, has worked at the store since it opened in October 2014.
The pair are said to
have begun dating in July and were described as 'being in the first flush of
romance'.
Lee was a sales
assistant who was working the overnight shift to prepare the shop for
customers.
He lived with his
widowed mother Thelma, 68, who is today being comforted by friends and police
liaison officers.
Matalan Chief
Executive Jason Hargreaves said: 'It is with great sadness that we can confirm
that there was a fatal stabbing in Queen Street, Cardiff, this morning.
'Police discovered the
bodies of a man and a woman outside the premises at 6am.
'Both of the victims
worked at our Cardiff branch so understandably all of our colleagues are
receiving our full support.'
South Wales Chief
Superintendent Belinda Davies, said: 'This incident occurred in the main
shopping area in the heart of the city in rush hour and it has no doubt shocked
the community of Cardiff.
'We are in the very
early stages of the investigation but I would like to add that at this stage we
believe... it was not a random assault.
'I would like to
dispel speculation circulating as to the motive behind this tragic incident and
make it clear that this is not being linked to terrorism, and any links to the
homeless community are unfounded.'
A spokeswoman for the
Welsh Ambulance Service said: 'We had a call at approximately 5.50am to an
incident in the Queen Street area of Cardiff.
'We sent a paramedic
in a rapid response car, three emergency ambulances and the Trust's Hazardous
Area Response Team to the scene.'
Cardiff Queen Street
is a half-mile long street and visited by tens and thousands of shoppers every
day.
SOURECE: Dailymail
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