A vigil will be held to remember a woman murdered in her east Belfast home last week.
The vigil for 34-year-old Kat Parton, to take place at Island Hill in Comber, is being organised by friends she grew up with in the north Down town.
Those attending the event, at 8pm on Friday, are being asked to bring sky lanterns to be let off into the sky.
Ms Parton was found with severe head injuries in the bedroom of her home on Madrid Street. The body of the mother-of-one was discovered by her father shortly after 4pm last Wednesday.
Three people were due to appear in court on Monday charged in connection with the murder of Ms Parton.
Samantha Rutherford, who went to school with Ms Parton, told Belfast Live: “She was a header in the most nicest of ways. She was always so bubbly and would have done anything for you. Her kindness shone through.
“She was always hyper and you would have swore she was powered by Duracell batteries but she was so, so funny.
“We want her to have a nice send-off. She was a good girl and didn’t deserve what happened to her.”
In a statement following the murder, Women’s Aid said: “Please know our thoughts are with you all at this incredibly challenging time. We cannot fathom the depth of your pain at losing your loved one.
“Kathryn is the 19th woman to be killed in Northern Ireland since 2020, and is the ninth woman murdered here under the age of 35 in the same period.”
Alliance East Belfast MLA Peter McReynolds described it as an “an extremely sad and distressing incident”.
“I am deeply saddened to hear about the death of a woman in East Belfast,” he said. “This is an extremely sad and distressing incident and my thoughts and sympathies are with the family of the victim.”
Mr McReynolds added: “This tragic event has shocked local residents and the wider community upon hearing this upsetting news.”
