THE family of a schoolgirl who died suddenly last week have paid tribute to a “blossoming woman” and her quirky sense of humour.And her story has so touched people's hearts that an up-and-coming band have dedicated their latest single to her.

THE family of a schoolgirl who died suddenly last week have paid tribute to a “blossoming woman” and her quirky sense of humour.

And her story has so touched people's hearts that an up-and-coming band have dedicated their latest single to her.

Vicky Moulton, 18, from Middle Green, Wakes Colne, was a diligent student working for her A-levels at Colchester County High School when she became ill.

Suspecting a simple virus had caused her sore throat, the doctor prescribed antibiotics and she was sent home. But within two days and despite a further visit from the GP, she had succumbed to bronchial pneumonia and died.

Since then her parents Pam and Barry and sister Liz have been struggling to come to terms with their loss.

Mrs Moulton said: “She was lovely, just a lovely girl growing into a lovely woman. She was blossoming - coming into her own from being a very shy, retiring young lady. She had such a lovely smile. She was just a joy and we will miss her forever.

“What I feel is disbelief. We seem to have accepted it, but you can't not accept it. These are difficult times but we have had so much love and support from people we have not heard from for years. It's overwhelming. People have been fantastic.”

Vicky shared a Christian faith with her sister Liz, 20, and was beginning baptism classes at the Baptist Church in Bures. Now that belief is helping Liz with her grief.

“God's been strong for our family,” she said. “Everyone's been praying for us and we can feel it. She's in a much better place and having a wonderful time. But it's hard for us left behind.

“I really miss her. The way she made me laugh - just joking around, larking around in the back of church and dancing together.”

Vicky was working hard for art, geography and chemistry A-levels this summer, though art was her main love. And afterwards she was set for a gap year working with disadvantaged children in the developing world for the Oasis Trust.

But it was her gift for offbeat laughter that her family would miss most.

Liz said: “She was quite quiet but would surprise people with her silly sense of humour. When she was little, she only ever whispered to teachers. But once you got to know her, she was hilarious. She was quite quirky - she found pigeons hilarious.”

Her idiosyncratic tastes also showed in her passion for music. Now the Guillemots, one of the bands she emailed, have dedicated their new single We're Here to her.

Band-member Fyfe Dangerfield explained that she had emailed the band just a few days before she died, praising the single which she had heard on Radio 1.

“She made a joke about coming to our gig even though it was in the middle of an exam. She sounds lovely. What's happened is horrible. There's nothing you can say,” he said.

The funeral will take place on Friday at St Mary's Church in Bures at 12.15pm with a ceremony at Colchester Crematorium and a reception at Colchester County High School both starting at 2pm.