THE family of Hayley Richards were left numb and devastated when the bubbly and bright 23-year-old was murdered by her boyfriend Hugo Quintas in June.

Ten months later they are still finding it almost impossible to cope with the death of the baby of the family who was almost three months pregnant when she was killed.

Her sister Sam Richards, 36, said: "It's been hell, absolutely horrible. We all miss her so much. It should have been her 24th birthday last Thursday but we went to the cemetery to put balloons on her grave.

"I still expect to see her walking down the road even though I know she's not going to be there. She would always be popping in to say hello. "She should have had her baby by now and we should all be enjoying making a fuss of her and the baby."

The family has always been exceptionally close and the murder has shattered all of their lives. Miss Richards said she would never forget the terrible day her little sister was found dead and could not put into words how she felt about Quintas.

"Everyday we think about her and what he's taken away from us," she said. "I can't understand how someone could do that to another person. We had made him welcome and had trusted him."

She said attending the trial had been a struggle for all the family but it was important to see justice being done. "I didn't sit in as much as I could have. I just couldn't sit there and listen to what he did to her and all the lies he came up with," she said.

Her brother Paul, 44, remembers Hayley as a friendly, bubbly and popular girl who loved life.

The youngest of seven brothers and sisters by 12 years, he said she had always been spoiled by the others.

He said: "When she was born I took her out in her push chair to show her off to my friends in the Avon Club. "She was a terror when she was about two and we'd have to take her out in the car to get her to sleep. "But she grew into a lovely child; she was brilliant. I used to babysit her and we always got on well. She always got on well with everyone."

He said Hayley had loved reading and DIY and enjoyed going out with friends and family. She was also an avid Liverpool fan and when she died the family received a condolence signed by the whole team.

Hayley attended John of Gaunt School and earned a place at Preston University to study law and psychology but returned to Trowbridge after becoming homesick. Sister Sam said: "Mum and I went up to visit her for the weekend and she ended up coming back with us on the Sunday.

"When she was back mum would see her everyday. They were so close and would do everything together. Mr Richards said the whole family had no idea what to do to try and repair their lives.

He said: "When it happened none of us wanted to be around anymore. We've all been on medication since it started, we've got to cope to survive. "It was evil what he did to her. We never expected this, not in a million years. We haven't got a clue what to do next. We just miss her so much."