Friends are fundraising for a memorial to a mum who died suddenly in her sleep.

Melissa Collier, who lived in Tenterden, was just 42 when she died of an undiagnosed heart condition.

The young mum-of-two had grown up in Folkestone, where she went to the former St Mary’s Convent, which has now been closed and demolished.

Her school friend Sophia Stimpson described her as “everyone’s friend”.

“She was fun, loved school and loved her friends; we have all got memories of her being fearless and loving life,” she added.

“She made a huge impact on everyone – I know it sounds cliche but she was a friend to anyone who needed one.

“She was never judgemental, and she was one of those people who was good to have in your life.

“To lose her at such a young age is such a loss, she really didn’t deserve to go so young.”

Ms Collier, who worked as a carer across Kent, had two adult children who she was very close with.

Tragically, in April of last year, she died due to an underlying, and undiagnosed, heart condition.

“To lose her at such a young age is so sad, she didn’t deserve to go so young,” said Ms Stimpson.

“The one comfort that we do have is that we know she wouldn’t have suffered.”

"That was Mel, that was what she would have wanted"

Now, Ms Collier’s friends are banding together to raise money for a bench in her memory.

They hope to place it at the former site of St Mary’s Convent in Folkestone, which became St Mary’s College before being closed down and eventually demolished to be replaced with flats.

“We’re hoping to put it on Ravenlea Road, which was where the school used to be,” explained Ms Stimpson.

“She absolutely loved the school, everyone she made friends with there were her friends for life – she even stayed in contact with all of the nuns after she left.

“It will be a duel-purpose memorial – it will also be for anyone who used to go to the school to sit and remember all the good times there.

“That was Mel, that was what she would have wanted for her memorial.”

To install the bench, the fundraisers need to collect just over £1,700.

To donate to the GoFundMe page, click here