A mother whose only daughter was gunned down by her husband has vowed to keep Christmas for the sake of her family.

Melanie Edwards, 33, originally from Cottingley, was shot by her American husband Carlton Lee who later turned the gun on himself after a two-week manhunt.

Their two-year-old daughter Carli Fay was also murdered by him as they sat in a car as he returned her from an access visit earlier this month.

Melanie's grieving mother Jacqui Melvin, 50, said: "It's what Melanie would have wanted. She thought Christmas was wonderful. I was not going to put the tree up - but she loved Christmas and I'm going through the motions of it for the sake of my four-year-old grandson."

She was speaking at her Cottingley home for the first time since the night almost two weeks ago when she heard of Melanie's death from Carlton's sister, Cherise.

She said: "I just dissolved into tears and passed the phone to my husband Peter. It's unbelievable really. I collapsed and went hysterical.

"You don't expect to bury your children or grandchildren. There are just no words to describe how we feel. I was totally shocked."

Melanie was shot four times in the chest and head as she climbed into her car with Carli, who was killed by a single shot to the chest.

She had fled her home in Seattle on October 19 pausing only to hand in her husband's pistol to police. She had been granted a protection order and told a court that he had beaten her, choked her and "threatened to kill me many times since we have been together."

The couple had been married for five years following a holiday romance in London when the aircraft mechanic swept Melanie off her feet.

Jacqui added: "She was absolutely besotted with him. I remember her ringing and telling me how she had met this wonderful man, he was super looking and that was it.

"They were married in Chicago but none of her family were there, she said she wanted a quiet ceremony."

But there was a darker side to the man whom neighbours in Gig Harbour recalled as just a regular guy who played basketball with youngsters, played with his daughter and held barbecues.

Jacqui said: "He was a bit moody though he never gave any indication of being violent while he was with us. But he was a control freak. He was jealous and would not let her wear make-up or go out with her friends.

"I still feel angry and bitter towards him."

She said Melanie's funeral would probably take place sometime in the New Year.

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