A young mother whose husband died on Christmas Day is determined to make this year’s festivities extra special.

Kelly Saunders, 33, is going all out to make sure that children Daisy-Mae, five, Beau, three, and Vincent, one, have a good time.

And she has thanked all those who have helped get her through the past year.

“I have never really been into Christmas but I am going all out this year,” said Kelly, of Grange Road, St Michael’s.

“I have decided that Christmas will be a happy time for us all.”

Kelly found her husband David ‘Dazy’ Saunders, 34, dead in bed at their home on Christmas Day, last year.

She said that the three children were coping well.

“They are so little,” she said.

"Daisy-Mae understands that Dazy is not here any more. She still talks to him and we talk about him a lot, but the boys are so small.

“They were used to just having me around the house because Dazy was out at work. As they get older, it may impact them more.”

Kelly said she was trying to keep things as normal as possible for the children.

“It still has not really sunk in that Dazy has gone,” she said. “The past year has gone so quickly, and his death is still quite fresh to me – there has been so much going on.”

She said she had had lots of support locally and thanked those who had rallied round.

“The church has been brilliant and so have those at The Crown pub,” she said.

“I have bought little Christmas presents for some people but can’t thank them all personally.

“A friend of Dazy’s came up to me the other day and pressed some money into my hand, saying to treat the children, so I have bought tickets to the panto.

“I said I was going to do a lit Christmas tree in the front garden as a memorial to Dazy, and one of my aunt’s remembered that and did it for me as a surprise. We have had so much support.

“Everyone has been so lovely this past year. “I have had so many gestures and gifts. Sometimes little things mean a lot and it is nice to know people are thinking about me.”

Daisy-Mae was invited to switch on the lights on the St Michael’s Christmas tree, which Kelly said had meant a lot. “She was really excited and felt very important,” she added.

An inquest found her husband had died from cocaine intoxication.