A MUM-OF-TWO suffered a “freak accident” and died after slipping on the stairs.

Tara Moss, 40, heartbreakingly passed away after losing her footing at her home in Laindon.

Cindy-Lou Barton, 40, who was friends with Ms Moss since childhood, said the tragic death has left her two daughters absolutely devastated.

She said: “Tara died in a freak accident, she has lost her life and has now left behind her family and friends - especially her two beautiful daughters.

“It is all very tragic. She was walking up the stairs and slipped and hit her head. She had a brain haemorrhage and was there all night before her children found her in the morning. No one even heard her fall.

“Hours before she died she had posted on Facebook that she was so in love and so happy. She had met a man and fallen in love, which was amazing because she had had a long term relationship with someone previously who wasn’t very nice. You just think to yourself life is not fair.”

Ms Barton said her two daughters Jessica, 22, and Ellie, 15, were in total shock.

She said “Now Tara is gone, they have nothing. They lost their mum and because they were in rented accommodation, they have had to move out and left with nothing but their clothes. Tara was a cleaner part-time in a garage so she didn’t have lots of money saved up.

"Luckily they are staying with family but it is only temporary. Jessica is an apprentice in Southend so she earns about £3.50 an hour and Ellie is obviously still in school. It is really awful.”

Ms Barton recalled how Tara was “random and crazy” but had a heart of gold. She added: “She didn’t even have a bedroom at home – she lived in a two bedroom house and slept in the living room so her girls could each have a bedroom each.

“She never asked for anything and would do anything for anyone. She really was one of a kind. The worst part is that Tara wasn’t aware of how loved she was – if only she knew!

Ms Barton is now trying to raise money for Ms Moss’s daughters so they can afford to rent a property of their own.

She said: “I started a Just Giving page so that people can donate. We have raised about £1,500 so far but I am hoping to raise £5,000. I have told anyone coming to the funeral to donate to the page, instead of buying flowers. Anyone who knew Tara is welcome to come to Pitsea Crematorium tomorrow at 3.20pm.” 

Visit: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/cindy-lou-barton-1