Tributes are flooding in for a mother and daughter following their tragic deaths from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in a burger shack.

The bodies of Leah Churchill, 50, and Brooke Wanstall, 17, were found in the unit off the Old Thanet Way at Whitstable yesterday morning.

The shocking discovery was made by Leah's son Tyla when he arrived to open up his Meat 'N' Greet Snack Wagon for business at 8am.

Police say their deaths are not being treated as suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner.

Now, flowers and messages of sympathy have been left at the unit, which is parked in the entrance to the Benacre Riding Stables, saying how much the pair will be missed.

Hundreds of tributes and messages of support for the heartbroken family have also been posted on social media.

"Utterly heartbreaking, I can’t imagine what this family are going through," says Maria Homer.

A former school friend of Brooke, Abbie Rose, wrote: "I’m so broke. I’m so glad I met you Brooke.

"Will treasure our memories in Year 7/8. You had the most kind and beautiful soul. Fly high beautiful girl."

"So heartbreaking," added Kelly Clover. "Brooke was an amazing and beautiful person inside and out.

"This is such a massive tragedy and my thoughts go out to the whole family at this devastating time."

"Known the family for 10 years and most loving people you could ever meet," wrote Kimmy Connolly.

"So broken for the family."

"What a truly upsetting story," wrote Dan Salter on KentOnline.

"Genuinely broke my heart reading this. Carbon monoxide poisoning is so deadly and yet invisible.

"I really feel for Tyla and all the family, and on his birthday too. Poor, poor people."

Tyla and the family are now planning a balloon release on Herne Bay seafront at 5pm today in memory of Leah and Brooke.

Yesterday, Tyler, of Whitstable Road, Faversham, spoke exclusively to KentOnline about the horror of finding his mum and sister.

He revealed they had gone to the food hut the previous night to decorate it with balloons and banners as a surprise for his 26th birthday.

On his arrival the next morning, he found the unit filled with fumes and realised they must have started up the petrol generator - normally kept inside at night for security - to provide power, without realising the danger.

"They were decking the van out inside in balloons and bunting as a birthday surprise for me, like my mum would do at home every year," he said.

"I didn't even know they were going down there last night but she must have started the petrol generator for power and to keep warm without realising the danger."

"I opened the van door and and saw my mum and sister and for an instant thought they had fallen asleep," he recalled.

"I smelt fumes but it just didn't register straight away, but it became obvious they were both dead.

"I called the police and ambulance but it was the firefighters who told me it was likely carbon monoxide poisoning.

"It's heartbreaking to think they spent their last few moments just trying to put a smile on my face."

"Mum made a fatal mistake and we don't want this to happen to anyone else..."

Leah lived in Wife of Bath Hill on the London Road estate in Canterbury with Brooke and was a mum of four, leaving behind another daughter, Ocean, 23, and son Sonny, 12.

"She was so kind and would do anything for anyone," said Tyla, who has just had a baby boy with his partner Beth.

"She would take a homeless man in off the streets if she was allowed. Brooke was just a live-wire with a huge personality.

"Mum worked all over the place, mostly in hospitality, and used to run the Share and Coulter pub in Greenhill.

"She was helping me in the burger van a couple of days a week."

Tyla says Brooke had just left Archbishop's School in Canterbury after completing her GCSEs.

"She had her whole life in front of her," he said.

"She did really well in her grades and had just started work as a carer, which she was really enjoying. She was also due to take her driving test next week."

Brooke's sister, Ocean, added: "She tried working in the van a couple of times but that definitely wasn't for her.

"Working as a carer was what put the spring in her step and the only thing she wanted to do."

Tyla, who also works as a drum and bass MC, says the whole family is reeling from the tragedy and still trying to come to terms with what has happened.

He also issued a warning about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

"Mum made a fatal mistake and we don't want this to happen to anyone else," he said.

"Be aware of this thing, people. If you haven’t got a carbon monoxide alarm go and get one. It is a serious killer.

"I don’t know how we're ever going to get over this."

A police spokesman said they were called to the scene at 8.17am yesterday following concerns for the welfare of two people in a van on a property off the Old Thanet Way in Whitstable.

"Officers attended the scene along with South East Coast Ambulance Service and a woman in her 50s and a teenage girl were pronounced deceased," they said.

"The deaths are being treated as non-suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner."