A thankful mother is 'counting her blessings' after she sent a text to her daughters encouraging them to come home early from the pub where Elle Edwards was the night she was shot dead. Elle was enjoying a festive night out with her friends and sister at the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village on Christmas Eve when she was tragically shot in the head.
The 26-year-old beautician who was caught in the crossfire is not believed to have been the intended target of the shooting which also left four other men injured, the Mirror reports. Ellen, 58, who asked to be referred to by her first name only revealed that her daughters were among the other party-goers at the same pub that evening and they arrived home only 20 minutes before the incident.
She had urged them to not come home late because it was Christmas and they had a 'big day' ahead of them. The mother said: "I wouldn't normally chase my daughters. It was only because it was Christmas and you know if you get home and you've had too much to drink Christmas day is a write off.
"I messaged and said 'what time are you coming home? Big day tomorrow.' I dread to think what would have happened if I hadn't."
Ellen, who heard the fatal gunshots that night also, mistook them for fireworks, similarly to Elle's friends who had been with her that night. The mum said she is extremely 'fortunate' to have her daughters home as she revealed that one of them walked in the door at around 11:30pm, only just 20 minutes before the shooting.
She continued: "I'm fortunate I've got my girls home - that poor family. I heard the gunshots but I didn't know they were gunshots. It made me look at the time - it was ten to 12.
"I thought it's fireworks and then I heard all the sirens and thought something has gone on. It's one of those things you don't expect to happen in this area - we don't have big problems. It's just so sad to be honest."
Three people have since been arrested in connection with the murder of the 26-year-old. These suspects include a 31-year-old man from Tranmere who has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.
Detectives have also been granted additional time to further question a 30-year-old male from Tranmere arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and a 19-year-old woman from Rock Ferry arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. All three currently remain in custody for questioning.
Police released drone footage on December 29 which shows officers in vehicles surrounding a residential street as they arrested a suspect in the investigation.
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