TRIBUTES have poured in for a well-loved Penarth woman after she died on the railway lines last week.

Helen Ford, who was aged 54, died after she was struck by a train near Dingle Railway Station last Wednesday morning, January 21.

Former Stanwell School pupil Helen was well-known by local residents and businesses across the town.

She would regularly pop into local coffee shops, hair dressers and other businesses. She would also write poems, with many featuring in the Penarth Times, and attended various local churches across the town.

She left school at the age of 16 and was accepted into Rambert School of Ballet in London. But she struggled to cope with the pressure and had to cut short her studies.

Around 10 years ago she won £500,000 on a National Lottery scratch card, and found herself on the front page of national newspapers, but friends said it was “the worst thing that could have ever happened to her”.

Following her death close friends and owners of local businesses where she popped into every day have paid tribute to her. Flowers have been laid at her house and near Penarth railway station, while local animal lover Sue Thomas has taken in her cat ‘Mowgli’.

Several poems have also been submitted to the Penarth Times in tribute to Helen, and will be printed in next week’s paper. Shops along Station Approach have also put up signs with pictures of Helen saying ‘you will be missed’, ‘God bless you’ and ‘R.I.P’.

Close friend Tracey Alexander, who grew up with Helen, also paid tribute to her.

“She was a very caring, kind and good person.

“She was like a shining star. She always wanted to be well-loved.

“She would have been a great actress or ballerina if she hadn’t had any problems.”

She added: “When she won the lottery it was the worst thing that could have ever happened to her.

“It didn’t do much good for her. She was unable to cope with being responsible for the money.”

Sian Fox, the owner of Foxy’s Deli on Station Approach, said she would pop in up to a dozen times a day. She was well-loved by both customers and staff, with several former employees that had moved on to university calling in the days after her death to pass on their condolences.

“She was very kind and very generous,” she said.

“She had a funny personality that would make you laugh.

“She had a wicked sense of humour. Everybody that knew her liked her.”

Joanna Christou, the owner of Backstage Hair, knew Helen for about ten years as she would regularly call into the salon almost every day.

“All the clients got to know her and were really fond of her,” she said.

“She would tell jokes and recite poems that she had written that day.

“She knew everybody by name and would never forget them.”

She added: “She was like a part of the furniture and we are going to miss her.

“She would go out of her way to help other people. She would always offer to help the elderly ladies with their bags or shoes.

“Everyone is really sad and shocked now. We are just glad that she’s at peace now and doesn’t have to suffer.”

During her life Helen also attended Tabernacle, Trinity and All Saints Churches.

One of the members of Tabernacle Baptist Church said: “She was greatly loved by many people. She had a wonderful ability to talk to people from all different walks of life.”

A Biritish Transport Police spokesman confirmed that her death is currently being treated as non-suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner

A post-mortem has been completed and an inquest into her death has been opened and adjourned.